The Seelie
by Cinderella's Slipper
Summary: Ginny's life has been ruled by nightmares for as long as she can remember but as long as she takes a potion from her mother and tries to lead the life she wants for her...or can she and what do the Slytherin Princes have to do with her dreams? G/D G/D/B
1. Prologue

**Hi Everyone,**

**This is a repost of a story I had up on here a while ago. It was taken down to an argument with my writing companion, which has since been made up. The story is completed and will not change from it's original version that was on the site before. Hope old readers and new will enjoy.**

**Cindy a.k.a. Jamie**

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

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"My lord..."

"You have good news Kosinski?" Voldemort looked at the man kneeling off to his left as Nagini circled his feet, eyeing the trembling man with a flick of her tongue.

"We have spent much time researching the sealing of the Unseelie Fey as you requested. It was a hard process but I believe we have learned something that might be of use to you my lord."

"Well, then get to it," he growled causing the man to tremble even more.

"We found two legends, Irish mythology, one a tale of the warrior queen called Méabh and the warrior king called Conchobhar. Legend says Méabh arranged the death of Conchobhar. The other is the story of three people, Cúchulainn, Naoise, and Dierdra. It seems that Cúchulainn loved Dierdra, who eloped with Naoise, and Cúchulainn killed Naoise in revenge."

"And this relates to the sealing of the Unseelie how exactly?"

"As you know my lord, the Seelie joined forces with man as the stories go to fight the Unseelie, the war lasted for a lifetime to man who lived such short lives at the time... In the end somehow the majority of the Unseelie were trapped within an intricate prison beneath the water of the Crystal Lake, guarded over by the Lady of Erskine, a ghost that roamed the waters killing all who lived who dared to approach the gates."

"Yes, I already know this; I would prefer something I didn't know..."

"Ahh, yes," he nodded quickly, "The King of the Seelie, he had a beloved daughter named Méabh, she died that final day of the war, some say she was responsible for the defeat of the Unseelie."

"A powerful woman indeed, but just a woman, it should be easy to learn what she did and undo it."

"That's where things get a bit complicated my lord," Kosinski interrupted before quickly backing away.

"Explain," he ordered quietly, not as threatening sounding as everyone knew him to be.

"The names Cúchulainn, Naoise and Deirdre have been found in a document with the name Méabh, we've done research, and haven't been able to find out the exact information but from what we can find, the three were part of a close circle that Méabh, the King of the Seelie's daughter, was a part of. Rumors say that it was the four who found the necessary spells to trap the Unseelie, and had events not happened prior to what happened, perhaps Méabh would not have died."

"And what events are those spoken of in rumor?" he asked with disgust.

"Just before the final battle, all three were found dead. Putting together the legends that the Irish mythology tell, it might be assumed that Cúchulainn killed Naoise over Deirdre, perhaps she killed him then herself in revenge for taking her love and despair over her loss. Also, I have heard the names Conchobhar and Cúchulainn used interchanged twice, perhaps it was Méabh who told Cúchulainn of Deirdre's betrayal, sentencing not only him to his death but the other two and herself."

"And interesting theory, do you have proof?"

"Not yet my lord but we are still busy researching and interrogating any we find who might have information."

"Good, continue," he ordered before Kosinski all but ran from the throne room. "An interesting theory indeed," he continued quietly before looking to the man in the shadows to his left, "What do you think Lucius?"

Lucius Malfoy stepped forward and gave the slightest shrug, "Unfortunately my sister was the one who was embraced by the Fey, the bitch," he growled darkly, "The only things I managed to learn were when I would corner my father's second wife for information and the small bit of information that has been written down through the history of my family. Not much as you know..."

"Perhaps there is a way you could learn more, Draco is close to your sister is he not?"

"Too close at times," he nodded, "But you can not make my son talk about his Aunt or her heritage, a heritage as you know he shares... I have tried in the past, so far no methods of making him talk, even extensive torture, have worked..."

"Well, there are other methods of gaining information, I'm sure we will think of one. Perhaps it's time I met this sister of yours..." Voldemort nodded to himself. "After all, if I am ever to free the Unseelie so they might help me destroy the muggle and muggleborns, and their purebred lovers, I need to learn how they were sealed, and what better way it seems than such a high up member of the Seelie as your sister, with so many blood lines running through her veins."

"As you wish my lord," Lucius nodded, "It may not be easy to do at first; she spends much of her time in the Immortal Realm as they call it."

"Well, she will have to come to our 'realm' eventually, and we'll be waiting. If it takes too long, we can simply kidnap your son and use him as bait."

"Of course," Lucius smiled evilly. "I'll set things in motion now," he continued before leaving the room.

"Well my pet, things are starting to work out just fine, aren't they?" Voldemort looked down at Nagini. "And soon I'll have Ciara Malfoy here... Then things will get interesting I imagine, very interesting indeed..."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

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**Monday September 1st, 1997**

**The Burrow**

**Ottery St. Catchpole**

**5:09 a.m.**

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"NO!" Ginny cried as she sat bolt upright in bed before dropping her head into her hands. "Not again. Merlin not again."

"Ginny..." Molly entered the room, "What's wrong?" she asked quietly as she came to the bed.

"Bad dream," Ginny mumbled through her hands, hoping her mother wouldn't notice her trembling.

"Hmm," she hummed before rising and heading towards the dresser across the room and pulling out a vial, "Have you had your medicine sweetheart?"

"No I…I forgot to take it last night," Ginny said quietly.

Molly clucked her tongue twice as she crossed the room, "Ginny dear, you know that when you forget it you have the dreams... I hate to see you in pain sweetheart..." she continued gently as she offered the vial of purple liquid.

"I know, I'm sorry Mum. Will you be sending more potion with Ron again?" Ginny asked as she took the vial from her mother and downed the liquid, pulling a face at the taste of it.

"Of course, and he'll remind you so you don't forget. We don't like to see you sick Ginny."

"I know Mum. I don't like having these dreams anymore than you like them. I just wish I knew who it was…"

"It doesn't matter," Molly cut her off quickly, "It's best if you just forget them after you have them Ginny."

"I know. I'm sorry Mum. I didn't mean to wake you. I hope I didn't disturb anyone else," Ginny said rubbing her eyes. /-/Who in Merlin's name could it be? I know I know that voice from somewhere but where?/-/ Ginny thought to herself.

"No, I had a charm to alert me if you woke but a silencing charm on the room," Molly replied as she rose. "Just in case of course."

"Okay," Ginny said quietly, a feeling of guilt settling into the pit of her stomach. "I'm sorry I woke you so early. I think I'll get up and finish packing since I don't think I'll be able to get back to sleep after that dream," Ginny said as she flipped the blankets back and swung her legs over the side of her bed.

"It's alright Ginny. I'll see you at breakfast then," Molly nodded before quickly leaving the room.

Once her mother had closed the door behind her, Ginny set about finding the few remaining items that she hadn't managed to pack the day before. She gasped in shock when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, the books falling from her hands to crash on the floor as she stumbled back for a moment, her gaze drifting from the mirror as she tried to regain her balance. When she looked back at the mirror, everything seemed to be back to normal, her appearance being what it always was, the same red hair and freckles she'd always had. Mumbling quietly to herself as she picked up the books that she had dropped to the floor, she returned to her packing, writing off the image in the mirror as a result of lack of sleep and her lingering nightmare.

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**Monday September 1st, 1997**

**Hogsmeade Station**

**Hogsmeade**

**6:25 p.m.**

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"Are you coming?" demanded Ron as he turned around to glare at Ginny who had been about to say something to Neville. "_Now_ Ginny," demanded Ron when Ginny had failed to move.

"I'm sorry Neville," Ginny said quietly to her fellow Gryffindor before turning and walking towards her brother.

"It's alright Ginny," replied Neville as he watched his friend walk away, only to watch as Ron forcefully grabbed her by the arm and started pulling her towards where Harry and Hermione were walking ahead of them.

"Ow, Ron you're hurting me," cried Ginny quietly as she felt Ron's grip on her arm tighten.

"You know what Mum said. You're to do as I say and that I can do whatever I have to in order to see that you do," Ron said as he continued to drag Ginny along behind him.

"Yes Ron," replied Ginny as she tried to keep her tears from falling.

Once they'd caught up with Harry and Hermione, they made their way towards the carriages, Ginny slowly falling behind the others once more as a strange sensation flooded over her. She felt as though she was being watched. Turning around she scanned the other students milling around the area trying to determine just who it was that could possibly be watching her.

Across the way, the two stood partially hidden in shadows as they watched the light brown haired girl intently. "Any idea who she is?" Blaise asked softly, glancing at Draco next to him before focusing on her once more.

"Not a clue," Draco said as he took in her appearance intently. "But I feel…If she's with the Golden Trio it can't be a good sign."

"No, it definetly can't be," he agreed with a nod. "Looks like she doesn't want to be though... feels like she shouldn't be," he continued so only his companion could hear.

"No it doesn't," admitted Draco just as quietly as he stepped forward. "Perhaps the young lady is a new student and doesn't know any better. I think I'll go and see if she'd rather hang out with us than those losers."

"Draco darling," the familiar sound that suspiciously resembled a cat dying had both men wincing slightly before sharing a look of long suffering annoyance, then schooling their faces into neutrality as Pansy joined them, practically draping herself over Draco. "Whatever are you and Blaise _doing_?"

"We were just getting ready to go to school actually," Blaise replied as he quickly and without Pansy initially realizing it, removed her arms from Draco, sending her a dark look when she started to move towards him again.

"Hmrumph," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest before looking off towards the new girl as she stood near a carriage the trio was boarding. "Looks to _me_ like you're staring at the littlest Weasley. God what _is_ it with that red hair, I'd _kill_ myself if my hair was that colour."

"If only," Blaise muttered under his breath before seeing Draco's hand move and quickly grabbing his wrist. "Don't you dare," he hissed.

"Pansy!" Millicent called and Pansy hurried off towards her, leaving the two alone as Draco looked up at Blaise and pouted.

"She was begging for it..."

"You think I _want_ to see her with red hair? Even if it _might_ make her kill herself and leave me no longer having to worry about her throwing herself all over you?"

"You think _I_ like having that bint draped all over me every single day. Why do you think I sleep with my dorm room locked and warded? And did she just say that was the Weaslette?" demanded Draco?

"Here I thought you slept with it locked and warded so we'd be left in peace," Blaise smirked before looking back towards the girl. "She did," he agreed quietly once more. "If she is the little Weasley girl... something tells me we might want to be talking to River, or at the least keeping an eye on her. One of us perhaps..."

"We'll watch her first, and _then_ tell my aunt. We need to find out how much she knows first," Draco said.

"You're not thinking she could be one of Ailill's..." Blaise frowned as he looked at Draco quickly. "Goes against everything my gut is telling me..."

"No I'm not thinking she's one of them, there's more to it than that, more to her… We need to get close to her somehow, I have an idea but I'll have to be careful since I don't want Granger to know what I'm doing and getting the Weasel and Scarhead involved."

"Well then mo chroí (my heart), we should probably find a carriage and you can fill me in on your idea. Besides, it looks as if Longbottom and Lovegood will take care of our curious Miss Weasley..."

"Let's go before Parkinson manages to latch on to me again," Draco said, a note of disgust in his voice.

"Gods yes," Blaise shuddered slightly and they turned towards an empty carriage.

Back across the clearing, Ginny jumped in surprise when she felt an arm link with either of her own and she began to be pulled away from the carriage that housed her brother and Hermione.

"Cho said she was going to sit with Harry so we're claiming Ginny for the ride," Luna called behind them as Ginny looked between the blonde and Neville on her other side.

"Guys what are you doing?" questioned Ginny.

"Well as we see it, Ron had you all summer, and Harry and Hermione always come to the Burrow a bit before school starts so they've had you recently too. It's our turn... Besides you really _don't_ want to be in the carriage when Cho tells Harry that she's dating Dean..." Neville smiled, "I've already informed the others from our room that I claimed the couch across from the fireplace tonight."

"He _needs_ to get over Cho," Luna sighed as they stopped in front of a carriage.

"She's dating De…" Ginny's words trailed off as she turned around to watch as a carriage passed by her. As the carriage neared her, Ginny couldn't stop herself from stepping towards it. There was something drawing her towards it but what that something was she had no idea.

"Gin?" Luna asked softly, glancing at Neville quickly. "You okay?"

"Ginny?" Neville echoed as he reached out to touch her shoulder.

"What? Oh…oh I'm fine," Ginny said turning back to face her friends. "You said something about Cho dating Dean?"

"Yeah, we caught them making out on the train and Dean gave me the head's up that Cho wanted Harry to know today after their could have been relationship fifth year and walking on eggshells all of last year. Wants it out in the open and all."

"Oh," Ginny said quietly, a note of disappointment in her voice. Dean had always been really nice to her and she had hoped he might ask her out sometime but now with him dating Cho, that wish would never come true.

"So..." Neville began as they climbed into the carriage, "How was your summer?"

"The usual," Ginny shrugged as she took her seat.

"In other words, nothing fun whatsoever happened and that means we have to do something fun this week to make up for three very mundane months?" Luna smiled, and then glanced around conspiratorially before leaning forward. "I heard there are a couple of elves in the Forbidden Forest. We could try and write them..."

"Elves? Luna have you been reading your Tolkien books again?" asked Ginny sceptically.

"No," Luna shot her a wounded look, "There really are elves, they just don't like us all that much. Wizarding kind treated them like the muggles treated us and well... can you blame them?"

"Whatever you say Luna," Ginny replied indulgently.

"_Neville_, she's doing it _again_," Luna moaned.

"Gin, stop trying to indulge her, you _know_ it just annoys her," Neville smiled as he watched them.

"I am _so_ leaving a letter for the elves and when they answer I'm bringing it back as proof."

"I'm sorry Luna," Ginny apologized. "I didn't sleep well last night. I forgot to take my potion last night and I woke up screaming from a dream this morning. Thankfully I only woke Mum up and not the whole house."

"It's okay," Luna smiled softly before glancing at Neville, "Gin, you sure there's not another way to handle the dreams and stuff? I mean it can't be good that you've been on that potion for so long..."

"I don't know Luna. Mum never wants to hear about the dreams, she just admonishes me for forgetting to take it and hands it to me."

"You know, as much as Gram drives me batty, at least she let's me talk about things that really bother me..." Neville sighed. "You know you ever need to talk, we're there right?"

"I know Neville and I appreciate it. I really do but what good is talking about it if even I can't figure out what's going on or what it's about?" asked Ginny.

"Three heads _are_ better than one," Luna pointed out.

"It always starts out the same, I'm in a room somewhere only I'm not alone," Ginny said as she looked out the window.

"Can you see the person with you?" Neville asked softly.

"That's just it Neville, I _can't_," Ginny sighed. "I've never _actually_ seen their faces. They're always hidden in shadows and yet I feel like I know them; like I've always known them. And the weird thing is I felt the same feeling earlier."

"When?" Luna asked surprised.

"Well first at King's Cross then again at Hogsmeade station and then just before we got in the carriage," Ginny shrugged.

"Someone at school you think?" the blonde suggested.

"I don't know and I don't know if I really want to if the dream is anything to go by," Ginny admitted quietly.

"What else happened?" Neville pressed gently.

"When the dream starts I'm surrounded by love and caring. I can tell by the way they touch me that they love me but as the dream progresses it changes. The love and caring is still there but now it's tainted by anger and suspicion but it's like it's coming from two different sources. Suddenly I'll feel a sharp pain in my stomach and when I look down I've got a knife sticking out of my stomach and there is so much blood…my blood…"

"That's uh... damn that's a nightmare and a half." Neville smiled sadly.

"You're telling me," Ginny sighed. "I just hope this isn't my future I'm seeing."

"Well considering Trelawney couldn't seem to care if you're in the same room in Divinations... I'm guessing you aren't exactly blessed with the gift to predict your own future," Luna smiled. "So it can't be, worst bad dream ever, or maybe someone else's memories... that's happened before. Or a past life, I could see if I can find anything out about someone being killed by a loved one by being stabbed in the past..."

"Would you mind? If I start trying to look into it Ron will surely find out and then word will get back to Mum and I'll not hear the end of it."

"Not a problem," Luna grinned, "Just think, it's our own little secret group.

"Thanks guys. I just wish I could figure out what was going on earlier though," Ginny sighed.

"Did it happen when you were trying to follow that carriage?" Neville asked curious.

"I felt drawn to it for some reason. It was the same sensation I felt just before you came to get me," Ginny admitted.

"Maybe there's a way to find out who was in it..."

"Perhaps," Neville agreed as the carriage stopped, "Come on, if we hurry we can find a place at the table before Hermione and Ron spot us and want to get away from Harry if they feel the need to..."

"I don't even know what carriage it was Neville," Ginny began as they climbed out of the carriage. "All the carriages look alike so how are we going to…" she trailed off, turning suddenly to look behind her only to see Blaise and Draco walking towards the castle, turning to watch them as they walked through the front doors.

"That's curious," Luna whispered to Neville.

"Very curious," Neville agreed. "Ginny, we should get moving if we want to avoid the Trio..."

"Huh? What? Oh right," Ginny said, shaking herself out of her fog. "Let's go."

"So, any ideas what the Hat might sing about this year?" Luna asked as they made their way into the castle.

"Probably about how the houses should cooperate as usual," Ginny commented as they made their way towards the Great Hall.

"Miss Weasley."

Ginny stopped and turned towards where she had heard her name spoken from, seeing Professor Snape emerge from the shadows. "Professor Snape," she greeted quietly.

"With me," he instructed before turning and starting towards the dungeons.

With a glance over her shoulder at Neville and Luna, Ginny slowly made her way towards the dungeons, following her Potions Professor down to the dungeon classroom.

"Now then Miss Weasley," Severus began as he spun to face Ginny, who had stopped a few feet behind him between a couple of desks, the potions supplies laid out on one the desks not going unnoticed. "I have watched you for the last five years fail every potion you have ever attempted to make rather dismally and quite frankly I'd like to know why?"

"I don't understand Professor," commented Ginny.

"Don't play dumb with me Miss Weasley," Severus snarled. "You are an extremely bright and gifted witch. All my observations of you tell me that you should have a natural talent for the art of potion making and yet every potion you hand in is a disaster. Your written work and your tests are excellent, with the exception of your practical exams. Why is this?"

"I don't know Professor," replied Ginny, making sure to keep her mind completely blank.

"I don't believe you," Severus snapped after giving Ginny a scrutinizing glare for a few minutes. "You are to make the potion on the board behind me. I have laid out everything you will need on the desk beside you. I will be back in one hour to check your progress. Do _not_ disappoint me."

"Yes Professor," Ginny said quietly.

"Good," Severus said as he strode past Ginny, nodding towards the corner as he exited the room.

Ginny let out the breath she had been holding when she heard the classroom door click closed behind her and slowly made her way over to the table where everything was laid out and set to work.

Forty-five minutes later, Ginny found herself sitting in front of a cauldron full of a perfectly made boil-cure potion. "I'm sorry Professor," she sighed as she stood up from her stool, picking up some of the remaining ingredients still on the table.

/-/She wouldn't/-/ he thought to himself when he saw Ginny pick up the ingredients in her hand and hold them out over her potion. He could tell from the reflective charm Severus had cast on the far corner of the ceiling to allow him to watch Ginny brew her potion without her seeing him, that her potion had been perfect despite the fact that it was a potion she hadn't even learned how to make yet. "Bloody hell," he cursed quietly, as he raced towards her hoping to stop her as he realized Ginny was about to do the exact thing Severus had told him he feared she was doing. "What in Merlin's name are you doing Weasley?" demanded Blaise as he grabbed a hold of Ginny's wrist hoping to prevent her from opening her fist.

"Let go of me," demanded Ginny as she tried to wrest her arm out of Blaise's grip.

"Not until you tell me what you were doing," countered Blaise as he tried to maintain his hold on Ginny.

"None of your God damn business," snarled Ginny as she struggled harder to get her wrist free. When she realized Blaise was too strong for her to break his grip, she opened her hand when it neared the cauldron, allowing the contents to fly out of her hand, most of them landing in the potion, which began to boil ominously.

"Get down!" Blaise cried as he let go of Ginny's wrist only to grab her by the waist and pull her under the table, when the cauldron began bouncing around on the table. He managed to cover Ginny's body with his under the table seconds before the cauldron exploded causing Ginny's ruined potion to rain down all over the room.

"Get off me," Ginny ordered as she began to squirm underneath Blaise, trying to push him off.

"Not until you tell me why you did it," Blaise told her struggling to get a hold of Ginny's hands which were trying to push him away from her. When he finally managed to get a hold of them, he pinned them to the floor above Ginny's head. "Why Weasley?

"I didn't _do_ anything," Ginny insisted as she continued to struggle.

"I _saw_ you Weasley. You made a perfect boil-cure potion. A _sixth_ year potion at that and then I watched you pick up the extra ingredients that were on the table. You were going to throw them in the potion and ruin it," countered Blaise as he held Ginny's hands firmly above her head and let his weight work to keep the rest of her body pinned to the floor beneath him.

"You made me drop those ingredients in by not letting go of my wrist. I was going to dispose of them properly when you grabbed me," Ginny argued.

"Since when do you not pick up your cutting board when you dispose of ingredients so that you can clean it at the same time?" questioned Blaise. "Now why did you purposely sabotage your potion?"

"I didn't have a choice," Ginny finally admitted, refusing to look at the young man on top of her, afraid of what she might see in his eyes.

"You have no choice but to sabotage your own potions?" demanded Blaise in shock and confusion.

"I can't…"

"Can't what?"

"I can't…"

"Ginny, look at me," instructed Blaise. "Look at me Ginny," he ordered a little more forcefully. When Ginny still refused to meet his gaze he took both of Ginny's hands in one of his, keeping them pinned to the floor, he dropped his other hand to her face, turning it so she had no choice but to lock eyes with him.

When Ginny's eyes met Blaise's she sucked in a gasp of air in surprise. "You?"

"Don't act so surprised Weasley," Blaise snarled in annoyance. "You know…"

"It's you…" Ginny said cutting Blaise and her own words off when she brought her head up and gently touched her lips to his.

It took Blaise a few minutes before he fully comprehended the fact that Ginny Weasley was kissing him and yet it felt right somehow, it felt like this was the way it was supposed to be. It wasn't until he felt her start to withdraw from him that he finally snapped out of his shock and started kissing her back, gently laying her head back on the floor and letting go of her hands. The feelings coursing through his body as he kissed Ginny, it wasn't long before he was seeking to deepen the kiss, his hands starting to roam over her body.

Tracing his tongue along Ginny's lips it didn't take long for her to open her mouth and grant him entrance. He wasn't prepared for what happened the instant the kiss deepened. An image started forming in his mind, an image of being in bed with a woman with what he assumed to be brown hair and he was kissing her, much the same as he was kissing Ginny. When he looked over the woman's shoulder, he found himself looking into a very familiar pair of silver eyes, as a hand gently caressed the woman's arm just below where the blond head was lavishing kisses on her shoulder.

When Ginny felt Blaise's tongue trace her lips, she opened her mouth to grant him entrance. As soon as their tongues clashed she felt a searing pain in her abdomen. "Stop," Ginny said as she broke the kiss and tried to push Blaise away from her.

"What's wrong?" asked Blaise in concern as he looked worriedly into Ginny's eyes, only to see them widen in fear as she started struggling to push him off of her.

Ginny looked up into Blaise's concerned gaze and a piece of her nightmare puzzle fell into place as images flashed before her eyes. She found herself looking down to see the knife sticking out of her stomach. Pulling it out she tried to stop the bleeding by placing her other hand over the open wound. Looking up she looked into a familiar pair of brown eyes…the same brown eyes that were now looking at her in concern.

"Get off me…"

Blaise was so caught off guard at the complete terror that now laced Ginny's voice and the look of fear in her eyes that he didn't hesitate to do as she requested, rolling off of her and sitting there and watching as she bolted from the room as quickly as she could, the door slamming loudly behind her.

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**Monday September 1st, 1997**

**Gryffindor Common Room**

**Hogwarts Castle**

**8:00pm**

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After leaving the potions classroom, Ginny ran the entire way up to Gryffindor Tower praying to anyone that would listen that she didn't get caught. She didn't stop running until she was safely inside the common room.

"Where the hell have you been?" demanded an angry voice from a chair near the fire.

Turning in the direction the voice had come from, Ginny came face to face with her rather irate brother. She also noticed that there was a distinct lack of activity in the common room. "Where is everybody?" she asked, hoping her voice portrayed curiosity and not the fear she was feeling.

In their dorms," Ron informed her coldly as he rose from his chair. "I told them I wanted a private word with my sister," he said as he approached her, stopping a few inches in front of her. "Now where were you?"

"I was in the dungeons," replied Ginny quietly.

"Why?" growled Ron, not liking what he was hearing. He hadn't missed the fact that Blaise Zabini had been absent from the sorting and welcoming feast. "You were with Zabini weren't you?"

"How…"

"I'm _not_ blind Ginevra," Ron snarled dangerously.

Ginny carefully took a step back, trying to put more room between her and her fuming brother. He only ever used her full name when he was extremely angry with her and she hadn't forgotten what happened the last time she had gotten him this angry. "Ron I…"

Whatever she had been about to say to try to placate him died on her lips when she felt the back of his hand slam into her cheekbone, her face exploding in pain as she crashed to the ground. Ron's strength had increased over the years he had been on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Strength he liked to employ whenever he felt Ginny had stepped over the line.

"You're _whoring_ yourself to Zabini aren't you," Ron stated as his foot connected with Ginny's abdomen.

Ginny felt something in her ribcage give when Ron's foot impacted her. "N…no…" Ginny gasped as pain lanced through her body.

"Then what were you doing in the dungeons and why wasn't Zabini at dinner?" demanded Ron as he towered over his sister, who had managed to curl herself up into a ball in the hopes of protecting herself from further attacks. "And _don't_ lie to me."

"Professor Snape gave…gave me an assignment. He wanted me to…to brew a potion…" Ginny managed to say as she tried to fight the tears of pain that were threatening to fall and the desire to give into the blackness she could see at the edges of her vision.

"And did you do it?"

"Of course not. The potion blew up before I could fix my mistake," replied Ginny.

"Good. I would hate to have to tell Mum you went against her. Now take this," he said dropping a vial on the carpet near Ginny.

As Ginny reached out towards the vial, she found her hand being crushed under Ron's foot. Despite the fact that she desperately wanted to cry out in agony, she bit her tongue in order to keep her silence, knowing that screaming, no matter how much she wanted to, would do nothing more than ensure herself a much worse beating later on.

"And if I _ever_ hear anything about an involvement with Zabini or _**any**_ other Slytherin, you'll wish Harry had left you to die in the Chamber of Secrets understood?" Ron demanded, putting more of his weight onto the foot which was on top of Ginny's hand.

Ginny nodded silently in understanding, losing the battle with her tears when she felt Ron shift more of his weight onto her hand, as a few tears escaped down her cheeks.

Without a second glance at his sister, Ron removed his foot from her hand and strode towards the stairs leading to the boys' dormitories.

As soon as Ron's weight was lifted, Ginny's world exploded in pain only moments before she fell into darkness.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Monday September 1st, 1997**

**Slytherin Head Boy's Chambers**

**Hogwarts Castle**

**8:45pm**

**gdgbgdgb**

With a sigh, Blaise pushed open the door, locking it behind him automatically as his mind went over everything that had just transpired in the last few hours. He'd been asked to watch a student in hiding to see what was going on with their potions, only to be surprised when he saw it was the littlest Weasley. He'd seen her make a perfectly good potion only to purposely try to destroy it, suddenly kiss him and he got some sort of image... but the sight had never been his gift and even then the fact that Draco was there...

Speaking of... Raising his eyes he looked around the common room area before heading towards the bedroom, not quite surprised to find the blonde in bed reading a piece of parchment.

"What took you so long?" questioned Draco, not raising his eyes from the parchment in front of him. "You missed the sorting and welcome feast."

"Snape assigned me to watch a student make a potion, in hiding. Something about him suspecting the student was purposely botching potions to fail the practicals," he began as he sunk down on the side of the bed.

"What kind of an idiot…no never mind, let me guess a _Gryffindor_," Draco replied a hint of derision in his voice.

"You know, River would have a fit if she heard you talking about them that way... although I suppose her protectiveness for the house only applies to the three now that I think about it..." Blaise mused, smiling when he saw Draco shudder as his mind was forced to think about the three and the one in particular that was sleeping with his aunt. "I know love; it's a horrible image isn't it? But surprisingly it brings me to just _who_ the student was. You'll _never_ believe this one Dra..."

"Just tell me so I can get this horrible image out of my head, the one that _you_ just put there," snarled Draco as he rubbed his temple.

"Poor lover," Blaise chuckled before frowning as he remembered everything that had happened, "It was the female Weasley actually..." he spoke quietly.

"The youngest Weasley is botching her potions? Why in Merlin's name would she do something as stupid as that? Course that would explain why the sixth years are so eager for their first potions class. They were mentioning something about wondering how long it would take for someone to blow up the room for the first time and like all of our potions classes we have it with the Gryffindorks," Draco commented. "Still doesn't explain why she would purposely sabotage her own work, at least Longbottom isn't doing it on purpose."

"Someone should just let the man out of potions, his calling is with nature, and it would keep the rest of us from nearly getting killed every day. Not sure who is more eager for graduation, us or Longbottom himself," Blaise chuckled. "Heard there was a pool that at the commencement ceremonies Longbottom would toss his cauldron at Snape... But back to your question, no clue why but she was, saw her do it myself. She did a boil-cure potion at that, perfectly, then was going to ruin it with the extra ingredients."

"Wait, she brewed a potion she hasn't even learned yet, did it perfectly and then was going to _purposely_ drop the extra ingredients into it?" Draco asked in concern as he sat forward, the parchment from earlier falling to the bed forgotten. "Did you stop her in time?"

"Not exactly, bloody girl managed to toss a few in even with me fighting her, barely got us both under the table in time. She was fighting me like a Cáit Sídhe (large cat) Dra... had to pin her down while I was trying to get her to explain why she'd done it when..."

"And?" Draco pressed, making a mental note to see if he could do some digging into a certain redhead's grades.

"And out of nowhere she said 'it's you' and kissed me."

"She _kissed_ you?" Draco growled dangerously, his possessiveness coming through in his voice.

"You can't kill her mo ghrá (my love)," Blaise glared at him a moment before sighing, "Not the girl's fault completely, truth is I kissed her back..." he admitted softly, not quite sure just how that news would go over with his rather possessive lover.

"_What_?" demanded Draco angrily as he leapt up from the bed and began pacing.

"I couldn't _help_ it Dra, she was there and I was being kissed, and you _know_ how it is... And it felt _right_ somehow, like it was something I had done hundreds of times... _then_ there was the vision or _whatever_ it was..." he trailed off with a frown.

"Vision? What vision?" questioned Draco.

"I was in a bed with a woman, she appeared to have brown hair and I was kissing her the same way I was kissing Ginny. When I looked over the woman's shoulder, I saw you're eyes, and you were kissing her shoulder..." he explained after a moment.

"Wait…you and I were in bed together with a woman between us? Why is it that even though the thought of that seems so wrong the idea some how feels right?" asked Draco as he continued to pace.

"I know," he agreed on a sigh, "You realize River would probably be laughing her head off, all these years we declared her nuts for saying one of these days we'd pick up a nice girl to join us..."

"And she'll get an even bigger kick out of it if what you say you saw really comes true and this mystery woman you saw really is the littlest Weasley," Draco sighed as he ran his hand over his face, hoping Blaise just assumed he was tired, not wanting to let on to the fact that he had been feeling strange pains for the past little while.

"Well considering I doubt the girl is going to be particularly happy to see me in the coming tutoring sessions Snape assigned me to... I'm telling you Dra it was downright insane, one moment we were kissing, the next she was telling me to stop and when I asked what was wrong she suddenly was trying to push me away. You would have thought I was Voldemort himself the way she was looking at me suddenly, I rolled off her without question when I saw the terror in her eyes and before I could blink practically she was gone..." he explained before frowning and looking more closely at the blonde. "What's wrong a rún (my dear)?"

"It's nothing," Draco said turning his back to Blaise so he could try to work some of the pain out of his hand, hoping Blaise would just drop it.

"You can't lie to me Draconis," Blaise countered quietly, "But if you don't want to talk about it, we won't... for now," he added gently. "Back to the girl, what do we do now? Neither of us are Seers, there's no way we could see Elin for her counsel, and the only people we know with any hint of sight are River, who readily admits it's not her greatest ability... And we can't exactly go and talk to Léana..."

"We need to speak with Liam," Draco said turning back to face Blaise, slowly walking back towards the bed. "See if he can give us some insight into what has the Weaslette purposely trying to fail potions and see if she's doing something similar in other classes. She made prefect for a reason, which means she has to be fairly smart but if that's the case then why would she do something as stupid as purposely blow up potions."

"That is the question of the day," Blaise nodded. "But a question for tomorrow, we can hide a note in his potions book tomorrow to meet us somewhere. Snape has me working with her during my free period, for the sixth year Gryffs and Slytherins."

"I bet that will go over well with the Gryffindorks," Draco commented sarcastically. "But that's for tomorrow," he sighed as he sat down on the bed, pulling the parchment out from underneath him and putting it on the bedside table. "Right now I need sleep," he said as climbed under the covers, trying to hide the hiss of pain that tried to escape when he lay down on his side.

"So is my looking to see where you're hurt," Blaise whispered as he quickly changed and climbed under the covers next to him, gently curling up against Draco's back, pressing his lips softly against the back of Draco's neck for a moment, "Goodnight my love."

"Goodnight lover," Draco replied. /-/How will you find something even I don't know where to start looking for the cause of/-/ wondered Draco to himself as he closed his eyes, feeling Blaise's arm wrap around his waist.

**gdgbgdgb**

She was standing near a large lake, so still it looked like glass, and clear as glass as well. Around the lake was yards of grass covered land, beyond that were a few trees here and there at first before more and more grew closer together, forming a forest that surrounded her. For a moment she was caught in the beauty of what this might be, before the rest drew her attention.

All around were people fighting, engaged in deadly battle. The majority appeared human, though some had wings ranging every colour of the rainbow, others, one very near her, had pointed ears… Elves? There were dwarfs littered among them, fighting other dwarfs, a few taking on the taller humans, winged humans, and Elves in groups. There were others, they appeared human mostly, save for skin that was blue or green, some with wings, some without. To her right, at the end of the lake two men fought, both had dark hair, one's was black and fell to mid-back; the other's was dark brown and fell to his shoulders, a golden crown upon his head, the two were engaged in a heated battle with swords.

She continued to look around, unsure of what was going on, and why it was no one seemed to even notice her as she stood there, when she saw the woman at the other end of the lake. She wasn't exceptionally tall, but she stood out amidst the fighting. Red curls, darker than her own, darker than anyone in her family and yet even more red, like a rose in the light of the setting sun maybe, fell down her back in an uncontrolled cascade. She was wearing a simple dress, where other woman wore clothes better suited for fighting, a white gown, a fitted bodice though her shoulders and upper arms were bare, her lower arms covered by a sheer white material that fell in a single piece of material to the ground. The skirt was airy and floated on the slight breeze that blew through the area even as the sleeves moved around her. In her right hand was a golden staff, at the end what looked like a fan Ginny guessed.

As she watched, the woman began to move towards the lake, then actually stepped out onto the water, and like the muggle stories about Christ said, she actually walked upon the water rather than sinking into it. Unable to help herself, Ginny moved along the shore to get a closer look at the other woman, noticing the bare feet that seemed to not even disrupt the surface of the water as she moved along it. Hearing someone yelling and it coming closer, Ginny swung around only to see a female elf with black hair simply punch the man with red eyes, and the man fell at their feet, the elf never looking away from the woman on the lake.

"What are you doing my friend?" the elf asked quietly, and Ginny returned her own eyes to the woman who had reached the centre of the lake and was looking around. Letting her own eyes roam, she saw the two men at the other end had stopped; blades still crossed, and were staring at the woman as well. Another woman on the other side of the lake was watching her, though Ginny couldn't see her face, hidden by the hand that was there to shade her eyes, the other arm close to her chest.

A man yelling drew Ginny's attention away from the blonde woman who Ginny couldn't help but stare at, a man was running towards the lake, yelling the name "Méabh" before he skidded to a halt and stared at the woman on the lake in anguish. "No!" he yelled, reaching out but not moving into the water, and Ginny looked back at the woman as she began to dance upon the water. There wasn't any other word for what she was doing; it was what dances were meant to be...

Upon the water, she swirled, kicking her feet up as she swept the 'fan' out like it was part of her, white balls of light moved along the surface of the lake towards her, swirling around her, the water began to rise around her, becoming a column that rose higher into the air as more white lights swirled in it, even as the woman, Méabh if what the man yelled was her name, continued to dance. Her movements changed, as it continued to rise, everyone now had stopped to stare at the sight, Méabh held the staff in both hands, the 'fan' part by her left hand, as she lowered it down by her legs and pulled it up along her body, up above her head in an arc that she would repeat, turn and repeat the arc, turn again and perform the arc once more. Ginny tilted her head as far as she could, and watched as the water continued to rise until she couldn't see the woman anymore.

Then, as suddenly in many ways, as it had begun, the column began to collapse, and she could see the woman falling back towards the earth head-first, clothes fluttering in the air as she sped towards the water. At the same time, she realized many of those around her on the shore were being pulled to the water by some unseen force, including the man the elf next to her had knocked out, and the black-haired man who had been fighting the one that must have been a king. They were yelling she could tell, though she heard not a sound, as they were pulled beneath the water and disappeared. Hearing another yell of 'Méabh', Ginny's eyes shot to the trees beyond where she had first seen the woman, and saw the man who had been on the shore there in the tallest tree, he jumped, flying through the air in an arc before he fell after the woman, pulling her to him when he caught up to her, before they both hit the water and Ginny stumbled back, hand raised to her mouth in horror.

He was there then, on top of the water, still holding the woman even as others around them gasped and Ginny looked to see what they saw, watched as an intricate weave of what looked like silver thread spread under the water. For a moment the faces of those that had been dragged into the lake appeared under the silver thread and Ginny realized it was a cage of some sort, before they disappeared and the silver bars faded until you could barely see them, only shadows.

Looking back towards where the man had been with the woman, she found he had reached the shore and was holding her to him, even as others came racing with swords drawn, among them the elf that had been by her, and the 'king'. It was the King who placed his sword at the man's throat, until the blonde woman appeared and said something, the elf took the woman's body from his arms as the 'king' continued to hold the blade to the man's throat. When the elf stepped back, so did the 'king' and the blonde woman, the man rose after a moment before turning and making his way away from those gathered and the lake itself.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Tuesday September 2nd, 1997**

**Gryffindor Common Room**

**Hogwarts Castle**

**5:54am**

**gdgbgdgb**

The forest and lake slowly faded from view as Ginny slowly regained consciousness. With each waking minute, her hand began to throb with more insistency, quickly reminding her of the night's events. Groaning softly to herself, Ginny started to push herself to her feet, making sure to use her good hand as she cradled the injured one against her chest. Feeling something cold against her fingers, Ginny looked down and noticed the vial that Ron had dropped the night before and quickly picked it up, downing it's contents quickly before forcing herself all the way to her feet. Making her way up to her dormitory as quickly and as painlessly as possible, Ginny grabbed a change of clothes before making her way back down to the common room and out into the hall.

When she reached the prefect's bathroom, she let out a sigh of relief that she hadn't been caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris. Giving the password to the portrait, she made her way inside, turning on the taps before removing her robes from the day before with a little difficulty as she really only had use of her right hand. Once her robes were removed, she set to turning off the water and allowing her body to sink into the healing waters of the tub. A hiss of pain escaped her when her ribs and hand hit the water. She knew the healing lotion she had put into the water would not completely heal her injuries but she had no other choice but to let her body heal itself as much as possible as she was not about to go to Madam Pomfrey for help as that would just lead to more questions than Ginny was willing to answer.

By the time Ginny climbed out of the tub, it was almost time for breakfast to begin, so with some difficulty, she managed to put her clean robes on and brush her hair before leaving the bathroom and making her way down to the Great Hall. The last thing she expected when she arrived in the Great Hall that morning was to find her brother sitting at the Gryffindor table waiting for her. Swallowing hard, Ginny made her way over to where Ron was sitting knowing that if he was up this early; it didn't bode well for her.

When Ron saw Ginny coming towards him, he rose from where he was sitting at the table with Seamus and made his way towards his sister. "We need to talk," he said when Ginny stopped in front of him.

"About what?" asked Ginny nervously.

"It's about Harry."

"About Harry?" asked Ginny, completely confused. This was not exactly what she had been expecting.

"Yes about Harry," Ron sighed in exasperation. His sister could be so daft at times; he just wanted to throttle her. "About Harry and you actually."

"Harry and me?"

It took a great deal of Ron's self control to restrain himself from lashing out at Ginny and striking her in the middle of the Great Hall, especially as more and more students began piling in for breakfast. "Yes. You and Harry. Harry came to me yesterday and asked if I would mind if he asked you out."

"Why would he want to ask me out? I mean I thought he was interested in Cho…" Ginny's words cut off as Ron took a firm hold of her arm, his hand coming into harsh contact with her battered ribs. Gasping as pain lanced through her body, she managed to hold in the whimper that wanted to follow it when she felt Ron's hand tightening around her arm like a vice.

"Harry is already considered a part of the family and Mum expects the two of you to marry by the time you graduate from Hogwarts so when he asks you out you will tell him yes," Ron snarled dangerously, making sure to keep his voice low so as not to be overheard by the passing students.

"Hey you two," Harry greeted as he walked up behind Ginny.

"Hiya mate," greeted Ron in return as he let go of Ginny's arm, but not before giving it a painful squeeze as a reminder of what she was expected to do.

"Ginny can I talk to you for a minute?" asked Harry, a hint of nervousness could be heard in his voice.

"Of course Harry," Ginny said quietly as she turned around.

"Listen Ginny, I was wondering…that is to say…would you like to…to go to Hogsmeade with me on Saturday?" Harry asked, running his hand through his hair nervously. "Ginny?" he pressed quietly when he noticed Ginny's gaze had wandered off across the room.

Ginny never heard Harry's question as she felt the same sensation as the day before and felt herself being drawn towards it but not sure of exactly where it was coming from. It wasn't until she heard Ron clearing his throat dangerously behind her that she finally snapped back to attention. "I'm…I'm sorry Harry, what did you say?"

"Are you alright Gin? You look a little pale," Harry said in concern.

"I'm fine Harry," Ginny reassured him. "What did you want to ask me?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to Hogsmeade on Saturday…with me," Harry said.

Ginny's gaze flitted across the Great Hall and caught on Blaise's for a split second before she turned her attention back to Harry. "Of course Harry. I'd love to go with you," she said quietly.

"Great," Harry beamed. "Shall we get some breakfast then?"

"Yes…breakfast…" Ginny trailed off as she allowed Harry to sit her down on the bench next to him as he began piling food on her plate. She made sure to keep her eyes downcast towards the table in front of her so that there was no way Ron could get mad at her for looking towards the Slytherin table.

**gdgbgdgb**

Draco woke with a start as he felt pain lance through his ribs and hand once more. Carefully he climbed out of the bed, disentangling himself from Blaise, praying not to wake him, Draco made his way towards the bathroom, hoping a hot shower might help him figure out where these sudden pains were coming from. Turning the shower on he quickly stepped under the hot spray, allowing it to work its magic on his tight shoulders as he rested his head against the shower wall.

"What in Merlin's name is happening to me," he mumbled quietly.

"I'd kinda like to know that too lover," Blaise spoke quietly from behind him. "Felt you get up... what's wrong Dra?" he asked as he stepped closer, reaching up to rub Draco's shoulders even as the water continued to beat against them and his hands.

"Do I look injured at all to you?" asked Draco quietly, his head still against the wall.

Blaise cocked his head before sliding his hands down along Draco's sides to his waist, gently turning the blonde to face him so he could look him over. "Nothing obvious, but if I knew exactly what it was that was hurting, I might be able to get a better idea."

"My left cheekbone, these ribs here," Draco said indicating which ribs he was referring to, "and here," he said holding up his left hand.

"Hmm," Blaise nodded, "Come on, out of here for a moment so I can get my stones and we can see if I can do anything about those."

Turning, Draco turned off the shower before following Blaise back into the bedroom. "What's wrong with me Blaise? I feel like I've been on the receiving end of my Father's wand again."

"Bite your tongue," Blaise shot back at him as he gathered the cloth bags that held the gemstones, sorting through them to select a few then moved back to the bed. "On the bed mo chroí (my heart)… "

With a sigh Draco did as Blaise instructed and climbed back onto the bed, lying down as carefully as he could onto his back.

Straddling Draco's legs, Blaise closed his eyes, focusing himself before reaching out and moving his hands over Draco's ribs with the stones in his hands, hovering just above the skin. He opened his eyes as he worked, moving from Draco's ribs to his hand, his cheek, frowning slightly as he leaned back and lowered the stones back to the bed. "Did it help at all?"

"Somewhat," admitted Draco. "It's still lingering though. Did you find any injuries?"

"It's hard to explain, there's no physical injuries that are yours, but your ribs and hand and cheek, the bones and muscles are stressed, and I can just sense the hints of some sort of magic, not wizarding magic... Whatever is behind this, it's Sídhe Dra," he raised concerned eyes to Draco. "I don't like this... there's no logical reason for someone to be doing something like this..."

"What do you suggest we do? I can't just disappear into the Immortal Realm, too many questions will be raised if I do that," Draco said.

"I suggest at the _least_ we contact River, she's a stronger Healer than I am, spent more time in the Immortal Realm and studied under Elin longer."

"No," growled Draco as he pushed Blaise off of him and climbed out of bed. "I don't want her involved in this," he said walking into his closet.

"Draco..." Blaise stared after him. "I'm not sure who will hurt you more if it turns out this is something major, me, or her, if we don't at least let her know."

"I don't care Blaise, I don't want her to know about this," Draco said walking back out of the closet, tying his uniform tie. "Not until we have something concrete to show her. You said yourself that the bones and muscles are stressed but nothing's broken and I don't even have bruises to show for the pain so what is she going to say or do about it? Nothing, exactly like the two of us and at the moment, I'm more interested in what's going on with the Weaslette."

"Well she might have insight on that one too," Blaise pointed out quietly before sighing, "But alright, you don't want her to know then fine, we'll wait. But you _have_ to tell me the moment you feel any kind of pain in the future, or as soon as you see me if we happen to be apart as rarely as that seems to happen," he smirked more to himself.

"Fine, whatever, are you coming to breakfast?" Draco asked as he leant against the bedpost.

"I'm coming," Blaise nodded as he rose, making his way to put his stones away quickly and a mental note to clean them later, before going to get dressed. "Ready then love?" he asked as he approached Draco.

"More than ready," Draco said as he opened the door that led out into the hall, completely bypassing the Slytherin common room. Pansy was the last person Draco wanted to see at the moment. As they were making their way through the dungeon hallways, Draco suddenly gasped and clutched his arm to his side. "Merlin not again," he hissed.

"Draco?" Blaise glanced around quickly before focusing completely on him. "Ribs?"

"No," Draco said looking around. "My arm. It just felt like it got caught in some sort of vice or something. It's like the others, there but not there at the same time."

"You want to go to the Great Hall or just stay?" he asked quietly.

"No lets go to the Great Hall, if I don't show up Scarhead and friends will have field day with it," Draco said straightening up and letting his mask fall into place.

"Don't stay if you're in pain because of them love," Blaise said softly as they started back on their way.

"And if I claim injury, Snape will demand to see it and when I have nothing to show him what then?" demanded Draco as they started up the stairs towards the entrance hall.

"I said leave breakfast not skip the entire day of school unless you are in too much pain and simply claim you don't feel well, it's not like you've been sick all that often over the last seven years, and you are one of his favourite students I doubt he'll throw that much of a fit over it."

"And what of my Father's spies?" hissed Draco as they neared the Great Hall.

"What exactly would they have to tell your father, for the first time in two years you happen to be sick. Not like he can get to you right now, you're at school and Lucius is forbidden from coming onto the grounds since he was removed as a Governor. And it's already planned that we're spending the holidays in the Immortal Realm, there's no way he can get to us there..."

"Just drop it alright Blaise, we're being watched," Draco said indicating Ginny who appeared to be looking straight at them as they entered the Great Hall.

"This is going to be so interesting working with her... though perhaps it's a good thing she as interested in us like we are with her..." he mused quietly.

"Although it looks like our pursuit just got a little more complicated," Draco said as they sat down, having noticed Harry piling things on Ginny's plate and the stupid grin on his face.

"I thought Potter was crazy for Chang..." Blaise mused.

"That's what the word around the castle is," commented Draco. "Is it just me or does the Weaslette not look too happy about sitting between Scarhead and the Weasel?"

"Definitely not just you..." he nodded, "Perhaps the Weasleys aren't that different from the Malfoys after all... family pressure maybe? Everyone knows their mother is ga ga over Potter."

"And if the rumours are to be believed, the Weaslette's just as ga ga over their precious Potter," countered Draco. "Getting her alone is not going to be easy."

"Well we do have the wonderful help provided by Snape who assigned me to be her tutor, that gives us an in..."

"And I'm going to try to arrange the patrolling schedule so that she's partnered with me, the problem will be Granger and the Weasel," Draco said as Snape walked by handing out their schedules. "You might want to consider getting to the potions classroom before she arrives," he suggested having seen on Blaise's schedule that he was scheduled to have his first tutoring session first thing that morning.

"True, well what are you going to do for free period though?" Blaise asked curious.

"Gonna go lay down for a while and hope the pain subsides," Draco admitted quietly.

"Good. I'll be wanting to know how you're feeling when you join me in Potions second period."

"I exhibit no surprise," Draco drawled as he rose from his seat. "I'll see you second period."

"See you second period," Blaise nodded before turning back to finish his meal quickly.

As Blaise made his way out of the Great Hall a few minutes later, Ginny, who had just received her schedule, slowly started to rise from the table.

"Where are you going?" demanded Ron, turning his attention from Hermione towards his sister.

"I have to run back up to the common room to get my books and supplies so I can be back in the dungeons before Snape arrives," Ginny said.

"Give her a break Ron, you know what Snape's like. Go on Ginny. I'll see you at lunch," Harry said.

"Right…lunch…" Ginny agreed hesitantly before making her way quickly from the room. She ran as fast as she could, which was not very fast at all given the current state of her ribs and the impact it was having on her breathing. Grabbing her potions book and supplies, she made her way back down to the dungeons, hoping that she would make it before Professor Snape closed the door. When she got to the right hallway, she slowed her pace back to a walk in the hopes of catching her breath. She stood outside the doorway for a few moments collecting herself before turning and making her way into the classroom, only to stop suddenly when she noticed just who was standing talking to one of the Slytherin students at the front of the class. /-/Oh God, what's he doing here? He's not supposed to be here…/-/ she thought frantically.

Sensing he was being watched, Blaise lifted his gaze away from his housemate and locked eyes with Ginny.

As soon as Blaise's gaze met hers Ginny panicked. Turning quickly she prepared to bolt from the room only to find something or rather someone blocking her path and she didn't need to look up or hear the words that would come out of his mouth to know who it was she had just nearly run into.

"Miss Weasley, as much as I agree with you about you not being present in this class, that decision has been overturned by the Headmaster for some reason known only to him. Now if you will kindly take a seat we will begin," Snape sneered as he swept past Ginny, the door closing behind him preventing her escape further.

With a defeated sigh, Ginny turned around and slowly made her way to the table at the back of the classroom, putting her books on the table and taking a seat on the stool.

"Miss Weasley," Blaise spoke quietly as he took the place next to her. "Professor Snape has assigned me to work with you..." he continued gently.

"You _can't_," Ginny hissed quietly, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

"Unfortunately that's not a decision you or I get a say in. You're very good in the class in every aspect except practicals, so... this way your practicals can hopefully go up and you can avoid trying to compete with Longbottom for the number of cauldrons destroyed in a student's career," he added with a slight smile.

Ginny groaned and allowed her head to hit the table in front of her. "I am so dead," she mumbled.

"Well Snape hasn't quite killed anyone yet, and I'm fairly certain he'll kill Longbottom before he does you," Blaise chuckled.

"You don't get it, do you?" hissed Ginny, turning her head on the table to glare at Blaise before raising it to look him in the eyes. "Are all Slytherins as _thick_ as you? It's not _Snape_ I'm worried about. Have you forgotten that _half_ of the students in this room are _Gryffindors_? Gryffindors who will think _nothing_ of running off and informing my brother of this little _arrangement_ of yours and when he finds out…"

"I'm fairly certain he will likely know by the time the seventh year Gryffs and Slytherins join me here next period," Blaise shrugged, still keeping his voice quiet as Snape began to talk about the coming year and his expectations, well perhaps growling his expectations was the better term, "but _if_ he says anything, I'm _sure_ Snape will take care of it, at least if _he_ says his reasoning for it, your brother will have no cause to argue. It's not like this was a position I volunteered for, I'll be honest I _do_ enjoy my free period a great deal. But it was either me or _Draco Malfoy_ to be your tutor since we have the highest grades in our year, I'm sure your brother can at _least_ take some condolence in the fact it _isn't_ Draco. Last I checked _I_ wasn't considered his mortal enemy; _that_ title goes to my housemate."

"I'm dead," Ginny sighed as she dropped her gaze to the table, her hand coming up to brush some of her hair behind her ear only to realize which hand she had lifted when her fingers brushed her ear. Quickly dropping her hand back down to her lap, she tried to hide her hand in her overly large sleeve before anyone could see it.

Blaise frowned when he caught sight of her hand, knowing it hadn't been like that the night before and there was no way that it happened as a result of their time under the table... But he also knew it was most certainly not the time or place to mention such things. For some reason he raised his eyes to her face and quickly looked it over, noticing the very hint of a shadow on her cheek... He _**really**_ needed to talk with Liam and convince Draco to let him talk to River... things were getting very complicated, very, very, quickly.

"At least I don't have to try to hard to screw this one up," Ginny mumbled to herself as she clumsily tried to prepare her ingredients while keeping her hand covered and out of Blaise's sight. Course the fact that she couldn't really hold the ingredients firmly didn't help and it wasn't long before her potion was starting to bubble rather ominously.

Seeing what was about to happen, Blaise glanced at Snape before quickly adding the ingredients that brought it back to normal, "I really don't want to have a detention over this... and I doubt your brother would take kindly to us being in detention together Miss Weasley."

"I really hate you, you know that right?" snarled Ginny, who before Blaise could stop her threw an extra handful of whatever was on the table into the cauldron.

"Well that's your prerogative," Blaise countered, placing a stasis charm on the potion long enough to figure out the required ingredients to counteract her latest attempt and conjure them before removing it and adding them, then casting a charm to make anything else tossed in just slide off an invisible barrier while it stabilized and finished.

"You're a bastard," Ginny hissed as she grabbed her book and bag and started towards the door, shoving past Blaise as she ran for the door, completely ignoring Snape's orders to return to her seat.

"I would _return_ to your seat and _finish_ your assignment Miss Weasley," Snape spoke coolly as he stalked towards where she stood a moment later, uselessly fighting with the locked door.

Ginny turned and levelled a glare at Snape that could rival his own before stalking back over to her seat and dropping both her book and her bag on the table before sitting down with a huff, crossing her arms across her chest, hissing slightly as her injured hand came into contact with her ribs, refusing to do anything more with her potion.

Snape followed her and glanced down at the potion, "A good thing perhaps that the potion was already finished save for final brewing time Miss Weasley, after that little fit of yours," he sneered at her before returning to the front of the classroom.

"I have to say, this period has been by far a good deal more entertaining than my own, even when we were once predicting how long it would take Longbottom to destroy a cauldron," Blaise chuckled lightly.

"I'm so happy I could be a form of amusement for you," Ginny sneered sarcastically, doing a rather good impression of Draco in the process. "Would you like to be in the room when I receive the howler from my mother?"

"I'll make you a deal madam, you get one, have it sent to me and I'll deal with it for you, since I suppose this can be considered my fault in some ways. Though one would imagine you getting a practical right would be a cause for happiness rather than a Howler..."

Before she could answer, even if she wanted to which Blaise wasn't quite sure she did, Snape drew everyone's attention, "By now your potions should be done, so both partners need to smell it, simply because I _so_ enjoy hearing what it is that each of you consider worthy of desire," he sneered, "And then put it in a bottle to be stored and clean-up."

Ginny was determined to do anything but smell the potion so she started to bottle it and clean up her belongings, never once looking at the Slytherin sitting next to her.

"So what did it smell like for you?" Blaise asked curiously as he watched her work.

"It doesn't matter because my destiny's already been decided for me regardless of whether I want it or not," Ginny said quietly. She wasn't about to admit the fact that she had been dying to make this potion for as long as she could remember.

"Well unless it's written in stone somewhere, prophesized, I imagine anyone can change their destiny, and even then... I like to think everyone can make their own choices in life. But even so, wouldn't it be nice to just do something once regardless of what people tell you to do, do it because you _want_ to?"

"Fine, it doesn't matter anyway since the way my year is looking, I'll be lucky if I see the end of it, I'll tell you," Ginny sighed. "I smelled three different things. Lilacs, the way they smell just after a spring rain shower, fresh strawberries and warm chocolate. Are you happy now?" Ginny asked as she rose from the desk, picked up her potion and the rest of her belongings and walked it to the front of the room and placed it on Snape's desk. On her way back towards the door, she stopped next to where Blaise was still seated. "And for you information, I'm going to get a howler because thanks to you I did the one thing I wasn't supposed to do."

"And what's that?" asked Blaise curiously.

"I did something right," Ginny said before walking out of the room.

"Hey Ginny," Harry greeted with a smile as he saw Ginny stalking towards them. "How was potions?"

Ginny was so furious at Blaise's audacity that she never even noticed her brother and his friends making their way towards her nor did she hear Harry call out to her, she just kept walking. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she practically ran poor Hermione over when she crashed into her with her shoulder, but none of it even phased Ginny as she continued on down the hall.

"What's up with Ginny, Ron?" asked Hermione as she rubbed her now sore shoulder.

"I have no idea," Ron admitted as he watched his sister turn the corner, not liking her behaviour one bit. /-/But she'll get a reminder of how she's to behave later/-/ he thought angrily to himself. "Come on guys, we don't want to be late," he said as he strode off towards the potions classroom, only to stop dead in the doorway. "Get to your own side of the classroom Zabini," he snarled.

"Do grow up Weasley," Blaise replied lazily as he made his way back to the table he and Draco shared.

"What are you doing on the Gryffindor side of the classroom anyway?" wondered Harry.

"Yeah and where's lover boy?" sneered Ron.

"If you _must_ know, Professor Snape has assigned me as a tutor for a Gryffindor sixth year, so I have a _perfectly_ legitimate reason for being on your 'holy' side of the classroom. And Ronald, _whenever _did you start calling my housemate _that_? Have feelings for the other Slytherin Sex God do you?"

"Why would Snape assign a _Slytherin _to tutor a Gryffindor?" demanded Hermione, the slight to her talent not going unnoticed by her. "And for your information it's quite common knowledge that you and Malfoy are doing each other."

"Really now," Blaise raised an eyebrow, "I would have _thought_ you wouldn't put much stock in rumours Granger, _especially_ seeing as it is also _quite_ common knowledge that _Pansy_ is involved with Draco, and that _I_ am _betrothed_," he smirked at them, "Don't you know to _not_ listen to _everything_ that goes around the school? If people did, they'd all be believing _you_ three have been fucking each other since we were third years," he mentally grinned at the look of shocked outrage that took over the girl's face as Weasley began to turn a rather interesting shade of red and Potter went white. "As for Snape choosing _me_ as a tutor, in case you have forgotten my madam head girl, _you_ don't have a free period when your sixth year housemates are in Potions. And _considering_ the top three students in Potions for our year are you, me, and _Draco_... I'm sure it must be _some_ measure of comfort that it's _not _Draco who's tutoring your housemate."

"Me tutor a Gryffindor?" sneered Draco from the doorway.

"See, honestly now would you rather have Draco there working with your poor little Housemate?" Blaise shrugged.

"Stay away from my sister Zabini if you know what's good for you," snarled Ron.

Blaise raised an eyebrow, "My my Weasel, jumping to conclusions are you? If I had _any_ interest in your sister it would be simply academic, which if that _was_ the case for whatever reason, one would _think_ you might be able to handle and even by some _small_ miracle appreciate, even in the _slightest_ percentage, the fact that she _couldn't_ have a better person to work with when it comes to grades save Draco or Granger. If you're thinking in _other_ matters, again in case you've _somehow_ missed the rather _well-known_ piece of knowledge, I'm _bethrothed_. Why do you _think_ it is that while everyone has _quite_ readily classified me as one of the two 'Slytherin Sex Gods', _I_ do not go around chasing _anything_ in a skirt, unlike a few Gryffindors I hear tell, no offence intended Draco," he glanced at Draco.

"None taken," Draco replied.

"For that matter, I haven't been involved with _anyone_, or even _sought _a romantic relationship with any other soul within these walls. There are some things that simply _are not _done when you are betrothed to another, such a thing as _honor _and _class _demands so. I would think even _you _would know _that_."

"Fine," Ron snarled. "But just keep your time with my sister limited to her time in this class with Snape present. I don't want to hear _anything_ about you being seen with her otherwise."

Blaise slowly closed and opened his eyes again twice before looking at Draco, "Did I say anything that implied I was working with his sister?"

"Not that I heard," Draco said. "I wonder what could have given the Weasel the impression it was the Weaslette you were speaking of," he mused.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure it out since he was on our side of the classroom, he admitted it was a Gryffindor and Ginny passed us as she stormed down the hallway, practically running me over in the process and it's well known in Gryffindor Tower that she's the sixth year version of Neville," Hermione said.

"So you're saying it was Scarhead here who put that theory together then?" questioned Draco.

"Draco, be nice," Blaise chided with a smirk, "Good morning Professor," he continued almost immediately when Snape entered the room.

"Do tell what are you all doing standing around like a bunch of idiots when there are potions to be brewed?"

"Of course Professor," Draco said, sneering at the Golden Trio before making his way to his seat.

"I'm surrounded by imbeciles," Snape muttered as he made his way to the front of the classroom. "We're going to be making wolfsbane potion, let's see you prove that you actually _deserve_ to be here," he spoke to the class on a whole when he turned to face them.

"Do you want to tell me what that little scene was all about?" asked Draco quietly as he and Blaise set to work on their potion a few minutes later.

"It would _seem_ Weaslette ran into them after she ran out of here, and I hadn't gotten to our side of the room before the annoying ones got into the room and called me on being on that side of the room. Explained I was a tutor for a Gryffindor in sixth year and it all went downhill from there as you witnessed. Weasels got a good bit of anger in him regarding his sister..."

"I think we should keep an eye on her if your vision is anything to go by. We also need to get this," Draco said pulling a folded up piece of parchment out of his pocket, "into Liam's bag somehow."

"I'll take care of it in Herbology," Blaise nodded as he took it and slipped it into his own pocket. "And I would like to request that you rethink talking to River, I have a theory about your odd injuries that you are _not_ going to like..."

"I'm _not_ bringing River into this yet regardless of this theory of yours. We're not even sure what it was you saw last night," Draco countered.

"I'm not even talking about _that_ Draco," Blaise hissed before sending an apologetic glance his way as he moved to cut the next ingredient, "A certain person's _hand_ was _quite_ black and blue today, and there was a shadow on said person's cheek. It was also made quite clear that by completing a potion, that took more than a few times fixing on my part, was the _exact_ opposite thing that this person was suppose to do, and now they are expecting a _Howler_ over finishing the assignment..." he explained quietly.

"Wait, not only is she messing up her potions on purpose but she's going to get in trouble because you wouldn't let her?" asked Draco in confusion.

"That's the impression I got," Blaise nodded, "I'll explain more in detail later..." he glanced up at Snape who was watching them at the moment while it actually looked like he was reading a book, but the two at the first desk could just make out that the man's eyes were raised to look at them.

"Don't forget to get that to Liam," Draco said, glancing up at his Head of House before turning back to his potion.

"I won't," Blaise answered quickly before focusing completely on the work as well.


	3. Chapter 2

**Because you asked so nicely Nutmeg44, hope you enjoy!**

**Cindy a.k.a Jamie**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

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**Tuesday September 2nd, 1997  
>The Great Hall<br>Hogwarts Castle  
>6:08 p.m.<strong>

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Ginny slowly made her way towards the Great Hall, reluctant to enter knowing what lay in store for her when her brother got a hold of her. It was part of the reason why after she left potions that morning that she had made her way out towards the lake, finding her favourite spot on the far side of it, not that far from the Hogwarts gates, where she knew nobody would see her let alone look for her, and spent the rest of the day outside reading. If it wasn't for the fact that she had missed lunch, she would not now be faced with having to enter the Great Hall for dinner.

Peeking around the door Ginny noticed her brother and his friends sitting halfway up the Gryffindor table apparently having a conversation that they didn't want the other Gryffindors to hear as there was quite a large space on either side of them. As quietly and unobtrusively as possible, Ginny made her way into the Great Hall, once again feeling the strange sensation she had been feeling since she had arrived at the castle the day before.

"Oi! Ginny!" Ron called just as Ginny was about to sit down at the end of the house table. "I saved you a seat."

With a sigh Ginny slowly made her way over to where her brother was sitting and took the empty seat to his right, careful not to let out a gasp when she felt Ron take a hold of her injured hand seconds after she sat down.

"What's this I hear about Zabini tutoring you in potions?" Ron questioned, giving Ginny's hand a rather painful squeeze.

Ginny bit her tongue…hard…to stop herself from hissing in pain as she felt Ron's grip tighten suddenly, her tear filled eyes searching out Blaise at the Slytherin table.

"It's not my fault," whimpered Ginny quietly. "Professor Snape…" she trailed off as she bit her lip to stop herself from crying out as Ron continued to tighten his grip on her broken hand. "Ron I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do…It's out of my control. I did everything I could to screw up the potion but he wouldn't let me. Please don't tell Mum. I'll find some other way I promise," Ginny said, her voice barely above a whisper as she tried desperately to suppress her tears, making sure her eyes were on the table when she felt one start to slide down her cheek.

"I'll let you off the hook this one time," Ron hissed in her ear. "Find some way to make sure that you do as Mum's told you or else I'll tell her you're not holding up your end of the bargain and then see what happens to you," he threatened giving her hand another painful squeeze, tightening his grip until he heard Ginny let out another whimper in pain. "Now get out of here before I do something you'll regret," he ordered.

Without raising her eyes from the table in front of her, Ginny rose from the table and quickly ran from the Great Hall.

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"She's here," Blaise whispered under his breath when he spotted Ginny enter the Great Hall.

"I know," Draco said, he had felt a sudden wave of apprehension wash over him moments before she walked into the Great Hall.

"This looks all manner of bad," Blaise sighed when she sat down next to Ron and looked straight at him a moment later before returning her attention to Ron. Hearing Draco hiss, he glanced at him quickly, "What is it?"

"It's nothing," Draco said trying to ignore the pain in his hand.

"You're not talking to some random person you just met, I know better," Blaise countered quietly. "Hand, ribs, or cheek? Or somewhere else entirely?"

"I'm fi…_Focáil_! (fuck!)," Draco hissed, his fork clattering loudly to the table as it bounced off his plate, as he dropped his hand to his lap.

"Alright who charmed the silverware to heat up," Blaise levelled a glare at the students around them, everyone quickly turning away to avoid being suspected of doing something like that and he turned back to Draco, "Do you want to go to the Hospital Wing?" he asked softly, code for back to their room and his stones instead of trusting Poppy for anything if they could help it.

"What the focáil (fuck) is going on," hissed Draco as the pain in his hand suddenly spiked even more. "Bloody hell."

"Draco... Why don't we go to the Hospital Wing..." Blaise suggested softly, concern more than evident.

"Not yet," Draco managed to ground out while trying to make it sound normal.

"I don't like this Draco, not one bit..."

And you think _I_ do?" Draco hissed in response. "You're not the one whose hand feels like it's been squashed in a door or something."

"Sorry Dra," he spoke softly, "What do you want me to do?"

"Find a way to get this to stop," Draco hissed before letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding as the pain in his hand suddenly released. Without waiting for a response from Blaise, he rose from his spot and strode as quickly out of the room as possible, not that far behind Ginny, who he saw running out of the main doors.

Draco stood there in the entrance hall for a few minutes trying to decide if he should go after her or not. /-/_Protect her_/-/ said a voice in his head, a voice that was definitely not his. "Bloody hell," he cursed quietly as he took off out the main doors in search of Ginny. As he ran down the front steps he could just make out the shape of a person running across the lawn. He took off after Ginny, chasing her all the way to the edge of the Forbidden Forest on the far side of the lake. He wasn't quite prepared for what he saw when he finally caught up with her though.

When Ginny ran from the Great Hall she never even considered where she was running, just letting her feet take her wherever they wanted. She just kept running and running until she finally couldn't run anymore, collapsing to her knees just feet from the Forbidden Forest on the far side of the lake, not that far from her favourite hiding spot. As soon as her knees hit the ground, she gave into all the pain and fear she was feeling as she allowed all her pent up tears to fall free. Wrapping her arms around herself protectively, making sure to be careful of her damaged hand and ribs, she doubled over as the tears overtook her, wracking her body as each sob was torn from her. She never saw the animal approach her, she just felt a gentle breath ghost over her head as a feeling of safety washed over her.

This was how Draco found her a few minutes later. Draco stopped in his tracks when he saw the eighteen hand high majestic white unicorn approach Ginny and softly nuzzle her hair. Not sensing any immediate threat from the animal, Draco slowly began to approach Ginny.

Sensing another's approach, the unicorn lifted its head and snorted in Draco's direction before backing away a few steps and dropping its head in a nod, indicating for Draco to continue his approach.

Not wanting to startle Ginny any, Draco kept his approach slow and stayed slightly to the side, keeping a bit of distance from her so as not to frighten her. "Weasley?" he called quietly. He tried calling her name a second time with still no response. He didn't know why and he couldn't explain it if someone asked him to but hearing the youngest Weasley crying was tearing him apart inside. Carefully he knelt down beside her and gently laid his hand on her back. "Ginny?"

"I'm sorry!" Ginny cried suddenly as she instinctively wrenched her body away from his touch, afraid of what he might do to her, not realizing that it wasn't Ron.

"Ginny?" Draco tried again, fighting the rather sudden and uncomfortable urge to pull her close.

"Malfoy?" demanded Ginny, his voice finally registered in her brain as she tried furiously to wipe away her tears. /-/_Trust him_/-/ a voice said inside her head, a voice that was definitely not hers.

Draco sat there and watched as her shocked expression turned to one of utter confusion. She looked like she had been about to say something after his name and then suddenly changed her mind before her tears started falling again.

"Oh God," Ginny cried as she started to collapse forward again.

When he saw her starting to fall forward, Draco reached out and pulled Ginny into his arms, thankful that she didn't protest or try to push him away.

As Draco sat there holding Ginny while she cried, neither one noticed the unicorn slowly make his way back to the forest's edge, where he stood standing watch over the couple as Draco comforted Ginny, never once asking her a single question, just simply holding her while she cried.

Draco didn't know how long he sat there holding Ginny or when exactly it was that her tears had stopped. He was just enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms, a feeling that felt right somehow. When he noticed that her crying had quietened and her breathing had evened out he looked down, only to discover she had fallen asleep in his arms. Placing a light kiss on her temple, he picked her up, careful not to wake her and began the long walk back to the castle.

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**Tuesday September 2nd, 1997  
>Seventh Floor, next to the North Tower<br>Hogwarts Castle  
>7:28 p.m.<strong>

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Blaise quickly made his way down the corridor on the seventh floor that ran along by where the North Tower was, though there were no entrances to the tower beyond that at the base to the Divinations room, he stopped next to the tapestry of a lake in a meadow. Glancing down the halls just to make sure everything was clear, he raised his hand and brushed his fingers along the water of the tapestry before lifting the tapestry and opening the door that had appeared when normally it would be solid wall.

"Hello. Was starting to wonder if you got lost somehow."

Rolling his eyes he glanced at the woman currently smirking at him, "No, I'm not that distracted Luna."

"Good to hear," she smiled before glancing at their third companion, "So Neville said he had a note from you and Draco… And you sent a message to come…"

"What's going on?" Neville asked curiously as Blaise moved to sit down with a sigh.

"Where to begin," he chuckled humourlessly to himself. "When we arrived the other night we saw Ginny Weasley, didn't even recognize her for who she was at first till Pansy pointed it out. When we arrived at the school, Professor Snape pulled me aside to watch someone prepare a potion, he suspected the student was purposely sabotaging their practicals, imagine my surprise when _who_ should enter the room with him but Ginny herself. Snape left her with a sixth year potion and I was hidden in the shadows and under an invisibility cloak. Made the thing perfectly, shouldn't have been able to in the first place but she _did_. Next thing I saw, she was going to throw the leftover ingredients in so I went to stop her, she fought me every step of the way and managed to still get a few in, didn't see it first hand but it brought back memories of Potions with you," he looked over at Neville and smiled.

"Stupid subject," Neville muttered.

"What happened next?" Luna pressed as she leaned forward, hands folded under her chin as she watched him, reaching up to quickly brush her hair behind her right ear when it fell to cover her face.

"Well when I basically pushed Ginny under the table after she managed to succeed in setting the potion off, she continued to fight me even though I was covering her with my body. I demanded to know why she would do such a thing and when she finally looked at me, she said something along the lines of 'it's you' and kissed me."

"_Ginny_!" Luna squeaked in surprise.

"Tell me you _didn't_ tell Draco that little bit of information…" Neville asked as he sat back in surprise.

"Of course I did," Blaise glared at him a moment before sighing, "And yes as you imagine it didn't go over well, but when I told him about the vision I got…"

"Vision?" He had Luna's complete attention once more.

"When I was kissing her, I had a vision of me kissing a woman with light brown hair…"

"Bet that made Draco happy…."

"He was there," Blaise admitted, "It was all very strange and suddenly Ginny was panicking and racing out of there like the Labraid himself was there for the girl. Things only continued to get stranger I'm afraid. Draco woke this morning with quite a bit of pain, his hand, cheek, and ribs. From what I can tell he doesn't have any injuries but the muscles are strained, and there's a hint of magic there, Fey magic. I'm worried it might be Unseelie influence but…"

"But?" Neville pressed, his turn to be completely involved in what was going on now that they were discussing something involving his particular skills.

"Snape assigned me to work with Ginny during Potions until further notice, two interesting things happened during the period, the first being I noticed her hand was black and blue, the same hand that was hurting Draco, and there was a shadow on her cheek, same cheek… Obviously couldn't find out if her ribs were injured…"

"We noticed the shadow on her cheek, but she's kept her hand hidden today," Luna glanced at Neville who nodded, his mind already travelling in other circles even as he listened.

"Quite, and at dinner out of nowhere Draco's hand began to hurt even more, he put it as 'having your hand smashed in a door' I believe… At the time, Ginny was across the room sitting next to her brother, her brother who was quite upset when he figured out that I was working with Ginny even if it was on Snape's orders."

"You said something else happened that was interesting?" Luna asked as she stared at Neville and he at her, the two having some sort of conversation without words Blaise knew.

"Not for lack of trying mind you, but Ginny did have a completed potion thanks to more than a few rescues by me. When all was said and done she left expecting a Howler from her mother and made it clear that her having completed a potion was the one thing she was not suppose to do."

"Always knew she was smarter than her grades implied," Neville chuckled humourlessly, "And certainly wasn't in the same potion I was. We all know it was simply that I do not have any gift when it comes to a cauldron, but the research and such I am wonderful at. Ginny though… every now and again she'd answer a question that implied that she knew how to do it so the fact she has never had a practical work…."

"Was always just odd," Luna nodded. "Going to the vision and the connection between Ginny and Draco, cause the Gods and Goddesses know that's what it sounds like…"

"To be honest, I've always wondered if she could be Sídhe," Neville admitted, "I took Gin to the Yule Ball as I'm sure you remember, I asked her weeks before though no one knew, course we both had said that if Harry asked her she wasn't honour bound to attend with me… It was a week before, we were spending time outside in the snow, the night of the Full moon; she needed a break from watching Harry moon over Cho. For a moment I thought I saw… but I wrote it off as a play of light, none of us knew then about her brothers…"

"You know none of us can really see for sure…" Luna pointed out quietly, "Have you considered talking to River?"

"Draco refuses to bring her into this until we know more, you know how stubborn he can be…" he sighed. "Do you have any ideas about her injuries? Or Draco's corresponding injuries?"

The two exchanged a look once more before Neville sighed, "To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if Ron is harming her, he's got a horrible temper when it comes to Gin. And there's something else… she has horrible nightmares; her mother has been giving her a potion to counteract them since after the Chamber, when she forgets the potion she always has a dream that night. We're trying to find anything out about a young woman who was killed by someone by being stabbed in the stomach; she just revealed that is part of the dream last night on the way to the Castle."

"If she is Sídhe, perhaps it's something relating to a past life, how she died in her past life," Luna suggested, "Maybe she and Draco knew one another in a past life, a sibling bond transcending lives? It's happened…" she trailed off with a shrug before they all heard the telltale sign of the doorway being opened and looked towards the door as it opened.

As carefully as he could without waking the sleeping girl in his arms, Draco managed to get the door open behind the tapestry and step through.

"By the Morrigan's blade," Luna shot up when she saw him and Ginny, the other two rising as well.

"Here, let me take her," Blaise offered as he moved to Draco's side while Neville cleared off one of the couches from the few things lying about.

"I've got her," Draco said as he moved over to the couch Neville had just cleared and gently laid Ginny down.

"No…don…" she mumbled sleepily when Draco went to move away from her, her hand reaching out towards him, giving everyone in the room a clear view of the extent of the bruising.

Afraid of what might happen should Ginny wake, Draco carefully slipped himself onto the couch so that when he was sitting; Ginny's head was resting gently in his lap. Her breathing evening out once more once her head was in Draco's lap.

"Blaise filled us in on everything," Neville began as Luna found a blanket and laid it over Ginny.

"Well a few minor details were left out but..." Blaise nodded. "Neville thinks she might be Sídhe, we've even got a theory about the matching injuries and the vision..."

"Do you have a possible theory for this?" Draco said pulling the blanket and Ginny's sleeve back so that her hand was visible to the others.

"Actually we sorta do," Neville sighed.

"Give you three guesses even though you only need one," Blaise muttered darkly.

"Why would he do that? Aren't all you Gryffindors supposed to be loyal or something and the Weasley's are known for being an overly loving family? I mean they bloody well adopted the bloody boy who will not die afterall," growled Draco, who instantly regretted it when he heard a small whimper come from the vicinity of his lap. Hoping to soothe her, he began to gently run his fingers through her hair.

"No picking on Harry," Luna glared at him as Neville next to her shook his head before moving to a cupboard against one wall, explaining as he gathered things.

"Ron's got a wicked temper when it comes to Ginny. She's always been rather much the forgotten one, been fighting nightmares since the Chamber and it always seems they don't want to even admit the chamber happened... Her mother makes her drink this potion every night that when she does forget, she has a nightmare, same one every time... She takes it because she's told to, and to avoid the nightmares I think... Times I swear Ron would be happier not having a sister the way he ignores her except to 'talk' with her."

"And by talk you mean _beat_," demanded Draco, careful to keep his voice as neutral as possible.

"Nothing we've ever actually seen but... I honestly wouldn't doubt it," Neville nodded.

"That would explain her reaction when I first touched her," Draco mused.

"Gin doesn't trust many people really, I think Neville and I are the only ones she does here at school," Luna sighed.

"Blaise, can you," Neville asked as he held up a mortar and pestle in one hand, in his other arm was a number of herbs and things. Blaise quickly crossed to his side to take the two items.

"Do you remember anything about past lives Draco?" Luna asked softly as Blaise and Neville moved to a table to separate the items, Blaise began to work as Neville made his way back to Draco and Ginny's side, carefully lifting her hand to look at it.

"Careful," Draco snapped when he heard Ginny whimper slightly causing a sense of protectiveness to wash over him when Neville picked up her hand. "And no Luna, I don't remember anything about a past life."

"Looks like that theory might go out the window as they say," Luna glanced at Neville before focusing on Draco, "I was wondering if you were gaining her pain because of a sibling bond in a last life perhaps."

"Then again, just because you don't remember one doesn't mean you don't have one. We all know River had one even if she won't talk about it, and she's the first to say that most people don't remember theirs as young as she did, if they remember theirs at all..." Neville offered before rising and heading back to Blaise's side to take the paste the other man had finished.

"Perhaps we should talk to River..." Luna suggested carefully. "None of us have the knowledge to do this on our own. And if Ron is indeed hurting her like it's strongly starting to look, and she's a Sídhe... he has to be stopped even more than if she was simply mortal, as bad as that sounds I know," she shrugged. "There are Elves in the forest, I'm sure one knows Nódia and can get a letter to her to take to River..."

"No," Draco ordered. "I am not bringing my aunt into this until we have some sort of solid proof that a. she is a Sídhe, b. not an unseelie and c. she's actually being beaten by her brother."

"How exactly would you suggest we find proof for any of those things?" Neville countered as he knelt down by them, gathering a bit of the paste in his hand before taking her hand once more and as gently as he could spreading it across her skin. "None of us are old enough to be able to tell a Sídhe by sight, and she hasn't been marked by the King but that could simply be because Gin just turned sixteen, she just now would have fully come into her heritage and if she wasn't identified when she was younger," he shrugged. "As for Ron, she won't talk and he never does it where anyone can see, we can't exactly go phasing to wherever she's at to spy, we don't have invisibility capes and such to keep Ron from seeing us..."

"Not to sound like I don't think talking to River isn't a good idea, but what about talking to the twins before we go to River?" Blaise spoke up quickly. "They spent more time with her obviously than any of us, maybe could even look back and see if she ever showed signs or who knows maybe they saw something about Ron that at the time they simply didn't see for what it was, not wanting to think Ron could do such a thing..."

"We have a Hogsmeade weekend this Saturday, one of us needs to pay a visit to their shop and find out if they know anything," Draco said.

"Alright," Luna nodded, "We'll have the easiest time... And I'll see if I can reach Nódia, just to see if she knows of any Fey dying by stabbing in the stomach, say I'm researching just because, the Gods and Goddesses know she won't think anything about it if it's from me. And Nódia's the oldest save for the Elders so, if it happened she will probably remember..."

As they'd been talking, Draco's hand had slowly stopped its ministrations in Ginny's hair, which had been the only thing keeping her dreams from wandering too far into the dark places of her heart and soul.

"I think we have a problem," Draco said when he heard Ginny start to whimper and cry in her sleep, her head starting to thrash back and forth as if she was trying to stop something.

"She's been hiding all day, she must have missed that stupid potion," Neville groaned.

"Try this, maybe the stones will work long enough that she can relax," Blaise appeared with two smooth stones in hand, the purple lepidolite and the multi-coloured agate that he carefully held to the top of her head.

"What potion are they giving her? Do either of you know?" demanded Draco as he felt Ginny slowly settle back down, his hand once more going to her hair.

"Not a clue but..." Neville glanced at Luna.

"I'll get into the tower and try to get a sample."

"If we knew what they were giving her we might be able to come up some way to counter the effects. She can't deal with whatever it is that's haunting her if they continue to suppress the dreams," Draco said.

"I'll see what I can do before the Harvest moon, if we can get her outside the night _**of**_ the moon, we can find out if she is a Sídhe then most likely..."

"She is," Draco said quietly.

"The Dark Moon," Luna breathed as she raised her eyes towards the ceiling, "You were outside with her..."

"Well, we have proof for one thing at least..." Neville glanced at Blaise, "Can we go to River now that we know she's a Sídhe?"

"And tell her _what_ exactly Longbottom?" demanded Draco angrily.

"That her lover's sister is a Sídhe who Luna and I can vouch has been drugged for a number of years by her mother to block nightmares which sound _suspiciously_ like memories of a past death and for _some_ reason her Sídhe heritage hasn't been presenting itself though Draco _did_ see it under the light of the Dark Moon. _And_ this same girl we suspect is being harmed by her brother, but at the very least is being harmed by _someone_ and _every_ injury she receives, Draco gets a matching pain with the _clear_ indication of Fey magic around the injury, and if _that_ wasn't enough the one time Blaise was kissing her, shocking as that sounds initially, he got a flash that for all intents and purposes could be of him in bed with a brown-haired woman with Draco there as well. And did I _mention_ Ginny's nightmare revolves around her being in a room with not one but _two_ people and she's always felt like she has known them, the _same_ feeling she got on September first when she was at King's Cross then just before we all got into the carriage which as irony would have it would be the _first_ time she's seen either of you in months," Neville was very well on his way into a full out rant as he paced the room while Luna just rubbed her temples wearily.

"Fine," hissed Draco. "You two talk to the twins and find out if they know anything about their sister being abused by their brother but that's it. Do _not_ mention _anything_ about her being a Sídhe. As for my aunt, we tell her _only_ that we believe we've located another Sídhe here at Hogwarts but we're _not_ one hundred percent sure so we are going to _watch_ this student and will inform her if anything significant happens," Draco told them, keeping the scene he had stumbled upon earlier when he found Ginny to himself for the time being.

"Alright," Luna nodded, sending Neville a look to keep him quiet. Blaise just nodded as he silently cast the spell that made the paste disappear even as its healing effects remained. The bruises wouldn't fade any faster, but the pain should be less, unless of course the injury was aggravated more and she'd have new pain thanks to that, something very likely it seemed. "We should get her back to the Tower..." she continued quietly.

"We should probably wake her, after we get out of the room of course..." Neville suggested after a moment of silence.

"And how exactly would you suggest doing that?" questioned Draco. "I don't think she'll take too kindly to waking up in my arms and I'm not about to dump her on the floor in the hallway…"

"_NO_!" Ginny cried out as she suddenly bolted upright, knocking herself off the couch in her disorientation, landing rather squarely in Blaise's lap.

"Um..." Blaise looked up at Draco, unsure just how to handle things since it had been made quite clear in Potions the last thing she wanted was to be near him...

Ginny slowly shook her head, trying to clear the images from her mind before lifting her gaze to meet Blaise's. "Oh God," Ginny mumbled before starting to scramble backwards, trying to get as much distance between her and Blaise as possible.

"Ginny," Luna began quickly as she rose and came towards the red-haired girl, "Ginny you're okay..."

Ginny's fear filled gaze never left Blaise as she continued to scramble backwards, never acknowledging Luna's words.

"Ginny..." Luna tried again before looking to Draco, "Your turn..." she whispered with a slight shrug.

Draco slowly rose from his spot on the couch and carefully made his way over to where Ginny had managed to back herself into the wall, keeping his steps slow and measured so as not to frighten her any more than she already was, especially since he wasn't completely sure about how she would react to him now that they were no longer in the unicorn's presence. When he was about half a foot away from her, he crouched down in front of Ginny. "Ginny," he called quietly, not wanting to startle her too much. "Ginny, look at me," he pleaded. When Ginny's gaze never wavered, he took a gentle hold of her chin and slowly turned her face towards him. "Dee look at me," he ordered gently as a pair of fear filled brown eyes slowly turned towards him. "You're safe here," he reassured as he put his hands on her upper arms.

Ginny frantically shook her head, her hands going to rest on Draco's outstretched arms.

"Dee, look at me," Draco ordered as Ginny's gaze started to turn back over his shoulder. "You're safe here, I promise," he said giving her arms a reassuring squeeze, hoping to stop the trembling he could feel under his hands.

"He's gonna kill me," Ginny sobbed, her head collapsing forward onto Draco's chest.

"Who is?" asked Draco as he wrapped his arms around Ginny, pulling her towards him so she was sideways onto him yet firmly within his arms.

"Blaise," whispered Ginny through her tears. "I saw it. The dream is always the same. He's gonna kill me," she said as she turned her face into Draco's chest and wrapped her arms around him, holding onto him like her life depended on it.

"Shh," Draco soothed as he rubbed Ginny's arm comfortingly, holding back on the urge to kiss the top of her head. "You're safe Dee, I'm not going to let him hurt you."

"You promise?" came the quiet question from his chest.

"I promise," Draco swore, this time giving into the urge and placing a gentle kiss on the top of Ginny's head.

"You know, I seriously think we need to re-evaluate talking to River," Neville whispered to Blaise who just stared at the two with a frown of confusion.

"I think I need to try and reach Nechtan for guidance, He might reveal something since I can't reach Elin like River can..."

"You haven't worked for a year with Elin yet, after that you will," Blaise spoke quietly before rising, "Let him know I went to our rooms, so she could have peace and I'll look into things," he continued softly before heading towards the door.

"Shh, grá mo chroí (love of my heart)," Draco soothed as he pulled Ginny away from him slightly and gently ran his thumb over her cheeks wiping away her tears. "He won't hurt you. You have my word on that."

Luna glanced at the two, then Neville before shrugging and making her way across the room to one of the many bookcases and searching through the books until she picked one up and moved back to the couch, opening it she started at the first page as she moved through the history, looking for a name that might sound like 'Dee' or that 'Dee' could be a nickname for as Neville just sat down to wait, cleaning the healing stones kept there in the secret chamber.

"I saw that," Draco teased lightly when he saw Ginny try to stifle a yawn. "It's getting late and you've had a rather eventful day. Why don't you let Neville get you back to the tower safely and you can get some sleep," he suggested.

"I don't want to go back there," Ginny said quietly.

"I know grá mo chroí (love of my heart), but we don't have a choice in the matter. I'll find some way to help you through this, I promise, you just have to give me some time alright?"

Ginny nodded reluctantly in agreement.

"Good, come on, let's get you up," Draco said as he pulled away and stood up before taking Ginny's hands in his and helping her to her feet. "Neville, can you get Ginny back up to the tower?"

"Of course," Neville nodded as he rose and hurried over to them. "Ready Gin?"

Ginny nodded silently as she stepped away from Draco and took Neville's arm, not sure she would be able to make the walk to the tower without help she was so tired.

"Come on, we'll say you were studying with me and Luna in her room," Neville continued softly as they moved out of the room.

"I'll meet you in the morning before breakfast Gin," Luna called after them.

"Okay," Ginny said quietly as she let Neville lead her down the hall. "Ron's going to be upset with me."

"Ron's upset with the world on a whole," Neville countered quietly, "If you need to get away from him, come find me okay? Luna will come stay in the tower tonight if you want company, just say the word Gin."

"I missed my potion, he's going to…" Ginny trailed off as her eyes dropped to the floor in front of them. "I'm just so tired Neville," she said laying her head on his shoulder. "I'm so tired of taking this stupid potion, of pretending to be someone I'm not, just to keep them happy."

"I know Gin," he nodded before carefully moving to face her and tilt her chin up so she looked at him, "Listen to me okay. You don't have to pretend anymore. Be who you are, perhaps not in front of Ron or your family right now, but you can be who you are still. Luna, me, Draco, we all want desperately to see the girl we know shine, to get to know the girl that we've been allowed peeks at but never been able to see all of. As for the potion, give me and Luna a bit of time and we might be able to figure out another way for you to manage the dreams consciously, where you won't be dependant on the potion and won't have any side effects that you could have been dealing with all this time and none of us saw them for what they were..."

"If I don't take it Ron'll tell Mum and then…I can't go back there Neville. If I do I'll never get out. Mum said it was for my own good. I didn't mean to do it, Riddle made me…"

"Shh," he whispered quickly, "Hey, we won't let Ron know that you aren't taking it okay, if we can figure out a way, we'll all work together to make sure that you'll be safe first and foremost. You won't go back, I swear. If I have to, I'll use that bat bogey curse you taught me on Ron and anyone who gets in the way."

"Can you get me to my dorm without Ron hassling me?" asked Ginny quietly. "I just want to sleep."

Neville glanced up and down the empty hall before focusing on her intently. "Do you trust me Gin?"

"More than anybody," Ginny said.

"Okay, don't panic alright?" he continued softly as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. A moment later the hallway faded away and the Sixth Years dorm faded in, thankfully empty like he expected.

"What did you just do?" asked Ginny. "You know what, never mind. I don't think I want to know and quite frankly I don't think my brain could process anymore today," she continued before Neville could say anything, walking over to her bed, removing her robe and shoes as she did before collapsing on top of her bed.

"Get some rest Gin, and I promise I'll explain everything when you're ready," he smiled as he walked over and pulled a lighter blanket over her. "Here, it may seem silly but keep these under your pillow tonight," he held out the stones they'd used earlier to calm her when the nightmare came. "You need either Luna or I, just grab one of these and think about one of us okay? We'll know and we'll get to you."

"Thank you," Ginny said quietly, taking the stones from Neville and putting them under her pillow before closing her eyes.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Where's Blaise?" asked Draco when the door had closed behind Neville and Ginny.

"He went back to your rooms, so Ginny wouldn't be quite so upset with him being here, and to do research he claimed," she answered without looking up. "Have you ever heard about a person being reincarnated within fifty years of their past life? I can't think of any but... I'm not sure if I should just skip this century entirely or not..."

"The only person I've ever known who has been reincarnated is my aunt," Draco said as he started for the door. "I'm going to see what Blaise is up to. Have fun researching."

"Thanks," she called, again without looking up. Frowning to herself, she raised her head, "Do you know when her last life was?" she asked, stopping him.

"You'd have to ask her since every time I've tried to ask her she changes the subject," Draco replied.

"Okay, thank you," she nodded more to herself before going back to the book.

Draco made his way through the halls back towards the dungeon chambers he shared with Blaise, going over everything that had happened within the last thirty-six hours and trying to figure out what was going on between the little Weasley, him and his lover. As silently as possible, he made his way into the room he shared with Blaise, not surprised to find his lover sitting on their bed engrossed in what looked to be the very same book that Luna herself was reading. "Hello lover," Draco said by way of greeting from his spot leaning against the doorframe.

Blaise raised his head and unconsciously smiled at Draco before absently brushing a lock of hair behind his ear and looked back down at the book, "Hello a rún (my dear)," he replied, "How's she doing?"

"Liam's taking her back to the tower," Draco replied.

"She's exhausted," he nodded. "How are you?" he continued, raising his eyes once more.

"I'm fine, as always," Draco smirked as he pushed off the doorframe and made his way across the room and into the closet, emerging a few minutes later in a pair of silk green pyjama pants, showing off his Quidditch built chest as he pulled the leather tie out of his silvery blonde hair, allowing it to hang loose down his back to his waist.

"Always knew you were _fine_," Blaise couldn't help but smirk as he moved slightly, setting the book off to the side as Draco came towards the bed.

"And you're wearing too many clothes a rún (my dear)," Draco teased as he climbed onto the bed.

"Perhaps _you're_ wearing too few," Blaise countered with a smile.

"Well if that's the way you feel about it," Draco shrugged as he climbed over Blaise onto his side of the bed before lying down. "Goodnight then," he said as he pulled the blanket up to his hips and closed his eyes.

"You are _evil_," Blaise growled as he rolled over Draco, arms bracing him as he leaned over the blonde. "You _really_ expect me to believe you're _just_ going to go to sleep..."

"What else would you expect me to do since you apparently are _not_ in the mood tonight and I seem to recall that a certain redhead is tucked away in her dormitory for the night," Draco replied with a smirk.

"Should I be concerned you're thinking about sleeping with a certain redhead?" Blaise asked curiously as he sat back, straddling Draco's legs as he slowly began to unbutton his shirt. "Although on the other hand I suppose it's only fair considering I did kiss the girl and had a vision in the process..." he mused.

"And shouldn't I be the one that's worried about you and a certain redhead?" questioned Draco as his eyes followed the movement of Blaise's hands as each button was undone. "I seem to recall you telling me that in this vision of yours you were in bed with her, kissing her."

"I wasn't alone lover," Blaise countered, "Which of course leads to all sorts of questions and ideas... Of course she also wasn't a redhead so..." he shrugged after undoing the last button and letting the shirt fall open, moving his hands instead to rest on Draco's abdomen before ever so slowly spreading them over his torso as he leaned back down, his lips hovering just over Draco's. "What do you think mo thaiscí (my treasure), have any ideas of what it would be like to have Ginevra here with us..."

"I think it would be strange at first and yet something inside of me tells me that she belongs here with us. Something happened earlier…," Draco trailed off in a moan as Blaise's hands hit a rather sensitive spot.

"I know," Blaise whispered as he moved to trail kisses along Draco's neck, tongue swirling over where his pulse was strongest. "You recognized her a rún (my dear), and she did you... That theory of Léana's, you weren't siblings, you were lovers," he continued as he trailed kisses along smooth skin, sucking gently on one of his lover's nipples.

"But from where…when…and what makes you think we were lovers?" questioned Draco as he ran his hands over Blaise's head, taking the tie out of his long silky black hair, allowing it to fall freely over his shoulder.

"I would certainly hope I'd never get a vision of you in bed with your sister Dragon," Blaise raised his head to look at him, one eyebrow raised before he stretched out and pressed his lips quickly to Draco's. "The connection is there mo chroí (my heart), the only reasonable explanation would be that in a past life you don't remember, you were lovers. As for the where and when... that's to be figured out later."

"Mmm later," purred Draco. "Shall we see if this odd little connection between the littlest Weasley and myself works the other way and see if we can't give her some pleasant dreams for a change?" he asked as he began lavishing kisses on the pulse point on Blaise's neck.

"Evil, evil man," Blaise groaned, "She deserves some pleasant dreams, only fair we do our best to provide."

"Definitely," Draco purred as he suddenly flipped them over so that Blaise was pinned underneath him before capturing his lips in a searing kiss.


	4. Chapter 3

**Because you asked so nicely Nutmeg44, I'll give you a super nice present for the weekend. Hope you enjoy the first part of your present! :D**

**Cindy a.k.a Jamie**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**gdgbgdgb**

**Wednesday September 3rd, 1997  
><strong>**Sixth Year Girls Dormitory  
><strong>**Gryffindor Tower  
><strong>**Hogwarts Castle  
><strong>**6:15 a.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

The last thing Ginny wanted to do when her alarm went off that morning was to get out of bed. It was not just the thought of having to face her brother that made her want to stay in bed. She had had the most amazing dream last night, a dream that she definitely did not want to wake from. It had started not that long after Neville had disappeared from her room. She had gotten up and put her pyjamas on and climbed back into bed. She had just pulled her hangings closed and placed a silencing spell on her bed when she had first felt it. The slightest ghost of a caress across her skin, followed by something that she thought vaguely felt like kisses being place along her body. She couldn't help but thank the Gods that she had managed to place the silencing charm when she did as she collapsed back onto her bed, moaning in pleasure as the ghost caresses continued and intensified.

When she closed her eyes, an image began to form in her mind of a room she did not recognize. As her mind took in the room around her, her hands began to roam over her body as a need to touch and be touched in return washed over her, combining with the ghost caresses that still floated across her body. As she looked around the room, her eyes landed on what appeared to be a king-sized four poster bed in the centre of the room, two figures lying one on top of the other battling for dominance, both in the kiss they were sharing and in position on the bed.

As the figures came into focus before her, Ginny couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips. On the bed before her lay two men. One had olive skin covering a very well-toned Adonis body and had straight silky black hair that Ginny could only guess came down to at least his waist, seeing as he was laying on it. Ginny guessed he would be around five foot eleven in height, give or take an inch or two but she couldn't be sure since he was lying down on the bed. The other appeared to be a few inches taller than his partner, with the same Adonis figure covered in porcelain skin and straight silvery-blond hair that fell to what looked like his tailbone. Ginny couldn't help the moan that escaped as she watched the two men slowly grind their hips together and she wondered just how big they really were given the height they appeared to be. She watched as the two lovers slowly brought each other to the brink before they both fell over the edge in ecstasy.

Ginny couldn't stop the groan of frustration the slipped from her lips as she watched the two men before her share a heated kiss as their bodies came down from the bliss of their orgasms. She was so caught up in the frustration caused by her unsatisfied need for release that she missed the whispered conversation taking place on the bed and the soft padding of feet across the floor that followed.

"Come," said a voice from above her, causing her to jump slightly in surprise.

Ginny let her eyes travel slowly up the body that now stood in front of her, hand outstretched. As her eyes slowly travelled upward, a whimper escaped her when her gaze landed on his manhood. Unconsciously she bit her lower lip in trepidation as she took in the size of him before her eyes continued their upward path, taking in the form of the blond haired Adonis from the bed. As her gaze locked with his, her hand reached out and took his offered one, allowing him to pull her to her feet from where she had collapsed to the floor earlier.

Not a word was spoken as he led Ginny over towards the bed, where his raven haired lover was waiting for them. After a slight hesitation, she allowed herself to be pulled up onto the bed and soon found herself surrounded as the blond took up position in front of her while his lover took up position behind her.

A sudden fear took hold of Ginny when she felt one pair of hands start to lift the hem of her top while another began working on the waistband of her pants. Having seen both men's' bodies, she was afraid hers would in no way meet with their approval. With this thought in mind, she brushed their hands away from her body and tried to climb off the bed. She was surprised when what sounded like a growl erupted behind her seconds before an arm wrapped around her middle and she was thrown back onto her back on the bed.

Before she could react, not counting the squeak that escaped as she was suddenly flung onto her back, Ginny soon found herself pinned to the mattress, a pair of mercury silver eyes boring into hers for a moment, telling her there was no means of escape, before her lips were captured in a searing kiss. So lost in the sensations the blond was creating in her, Ginny had forgotten about the fact that they weren't alone, that is until she felt a gentle kiss being placed on her abdomen just below her belly button as a pair of hands once again began the process of removing her pants. As her fear gripped her again, Ginny pushed the hands away from the waist of her pyjama pants.

She had been so concerned about stopping the removal of her pants that she gasped in surprise when the blond suddenly sat across her abdomen, his weight balanced on his heels as he straddled her. Leaning over he began lavishing kisses along her jaw line up towards her earlobe, keeping her mind distracted as he took her hands in his and slowly raised them above her head. After placing a kiss on the pulse point located just behind her ear, she heard him mutter two spells before sitting back, a look of satisfaction in his eyes, smirking when he heard her take a sudden intake of breath when she felt something silky wrap around her wrists, binding them to the headboard as her top disappeared leaving her bare from the waist up.

With her hands now bound to the bed above her head, Ginny realized that trying to stop the two men was pointless, so she reluctantly gave in, finally consenting to the removal of her pyjama pants by the raven-haired man, even raising her hips off the bed, as much as she could with the blond man still sitting astride her, making it easier for him to remove them from her body. The fact that she was now naked in front of the two men, not to mention tied to their bed, were soon forgotten as the men set to work on her body.

Ginny lay in bed cursing the morning and the return to harsh reality that came with it. She wanted desperately to return to the warmth and safety of her dream lovers' embrace. Sighing in annoyance, Ginny threw back her covers and pulled her curtains open and set about getting ready for the day. After showering and putting on her uniform, she collected up her books for the day. Just as she was preparing to leave, she noticed the vial and envelope sitting on her nightstand. Walking over, she recognized the potion in the vial as being the one she had been taking ever since the summer after her first year and the handwriting on the envelope as that belonging to her brother Ron. Grimacing she picked up the envelope and pulled out the parchment inside of it.

_Ginny,_

_Neville told me that he found you asleep in the library last night and Luna helped him get you back up to your dorm in Gryffindor Tower. I expect you to take the potion first thing this morning and return the vial to me at breakfast so that I can send it back to Mum to be refilled. Remember what I told you yesterday. Stay away from the Slytherins! You know what's in store for you should you disobey me._

_Ron_

Groaning in annoyance, Ginny crumpled up the letter and tossed it into her trunk. She was about to slam the lid shut when she caught sight of her potions supplies. Glancing between her trunk and her night stand for a few minutes, Ginny finally came to a decision. Making sure everyone else had already left the room or were still sleeping, she quickly reached into her trunk and pulled out an empty vial. Grabbing the potion from her nightstand she poured the liquid into the empty vial before stoppering both vials, placing one in each pocket, before closing her trunk and making her way out of the room.

As Ginny made her way into the Great Hall, she noticed that her brother was sitting next to Hermione but Harry was nowhere to be seen. Slowly she made her way down the house table, stopping behind Ron. "Morning Ron, Hermione," she greeted quietly. "Where's Harry?"

"He's talking to McGonagall about setting up Quidditch try outs," Ron said around the food in his mouth.

"Oh…" Ginny said, trailing off when her attention was drawn to the familiar sensation she had been feeling for the past few days as Draco and Blaise made their way into the Great Hall.

"Ginny are you alright?" asked Hermione in concern.

"What? Oh I'm fine Hermione," Ginny said, snapping back to reality despite the protest of her mind. "Here Ron," she said as she held out the empty vial.

"Thanks," he mumbled as he took the vial from her hand and stuffed it into his pocket. "Go sit with Neville."

Without a word, Ginny walked down the table and quietly sat down next to Neville.

"Morn Gin," Neville smiled as she sat down, and he pulled the platter that held the collection of pancakes and waffles towards her as Luna pulled the pile of toast over from where she sat across from the two.

Ginny glanced over her shoulder and down the table to see what her brother was doing. As she started to turn back towards Neville and Luna, she caught sight of Draco and Blaise at the Slytherin table. As she watched Draco gracefully brush a long strand of silvery blond hair behind his shoulder, her eyes widened in recognition before she felt her face suddenly flush. In her haste to turn away from the site at the Slytherin Table and what it was making her remember, she accidentally knocked her juice glass over as she had been going to pick it up in the hopes of hiding her furiously blushing cheeks. "Oh Merlin," she muttered as she tried to escape the pooling juice.

"You okay?" Luna asked with a smile as she cast a quick spell to remove the juice.

"I'm fine," Ginny muttered, keeping her eyes on the table in front of her as she fumbled with something in her pocket before shoving something in Neville's hand. "Here."

Neville glanced down before slipping it into his pocket, "How'd you sleep?" he asked softly.

Not prepared for his question, Ginny had been taking a drink and therefore started chocking on her juice. "F…fine," she said, her face flushing once more.

"Either that juice is out to get you, or our Gin had some very nice dreams last night," Luna giggled.

Ginny didn't dare answer, although she couldn't seem to stop her eyes from flicking in the direction of Draco and Blaise just as Draco happened to look towards where she was sitting at the Gryffindor Table, smirking knowingly when their eyes met briefly, causing Ginny's face to start rivalling her hair. When she felt her face flush even more, she dropped her head into her hands.

Next to her Neville and Luna exchanged a glance before Luna turned slightly so she could stare straight at the two Slytherins who both smirked before Blaise rolled his eyes and looked down at his meal. Draco just stared back at her before she raised one finger and waved it in the classic 'no no no' gesture and he finally rolled his own eyes and focused on Blaise who had started to snicker next to him.

"I think I'll just head out to class now," Ginny mumbled through her hands before rising rather suddenly from her seat, knocking everything in range over in her haste to leave. Making sure to keep her gaze away from the Slytherin Table, she made her way as quickly as possible from the Great Hall but making sure to answer her brother when he demanded to know where she was going.

"That went well," Neville mused as he stared after her before glancing over at the Slytherins.

"I hope he doesn't tease her more in Potions," Luna sighed, "Try to be at the dungeons just as class gets out and see if you can catch a chance to find out if he'll stop picking on her anytime soon..."

"Of course," he nodded before turning back towards her and the remnants of breakfast, "Should we..."

"She's already embarrassed, doesn't need us following her," Luna countered as she picked up her breakfast sandwich she had made from pancakes and other odd things.

"Have you noticed something different about them today?" asked Neville as he tucked back into his breakfast.

"Besides the fact that for the first time in as long as I can remember, the two have their hair fully visible and actually not pulled back in it's usual ties?"

"Yeah. Wonder why they did that," Neville mused.

"Ten galleons says it has something to do with our favourite newly discovered cousin."

"I'm not about to make a bet I know I'll lose," laughed Neville. "We should get going, it's almost time for class and you wouldn't want to keep our cousin waiting knowing the way Trelawney feels about her."

"Course it does make sense now why she dislikes her so much, River warned us she'd probably despise us because of our unique family," she shrugged as she rose.

"Especially if these dreams of hers are any indication," replied Neville.

"No kidding," she agreed on a sigh before smiling at him then floating off down the aisle towards the main part of the castle.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Interesting reaction from the littlest Weasley wouldn't you say?" asked Draco as they watched Ginny practically bolt from the Great Hall.

"You realize we are exceedingly evil don't you?" Blaise chuckled. "And yes, I most certainly would."

"Of course I do," smirked Draco. "But I think judging by her reaction she shared the same dream."

"You think it was mere coincidence that our dream last night after we finally did fall asleep included the girl?" Blaise gave him 'the look' he had learned from River.

"_Don't_ start with that again," Draco hissed as he rose from the table. "We tell River _only_ what I said last night, _nothing_ more," he instructed before turning and stalking from the room.

"When did I ever mention talking to River..." Blaise asked aloud with a frown before sighing, then rising to follow after his temperamental lover.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Wednesday September 3rd, 1997  
><strong>**Divination Tower Classroom  
><strong>**Hogwarts Castle  
><strong>**9:17 a.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

"Is it just me or does this seem wrong to you?" asked Ginny quietly, so as not to catch Trelawney's attention as she was looking through her textbook.

"Which part or you mean on a whole?" Luna whispered back as she dangled a cord with a crystal pendant on the end back and forth along the table, letting it trace patterns and only giving a tug when it would start to gravitate towards a specific point. "You know I wonder if she even realizes there is a ley line running through the tower..."

"All of it. If it wasn't for a fact that I _know_ she's made accurate predictions in the past, I'd swear she was completely _insane_," Ginny whispered.

"Why can't she only teach the fifth years and younger, instead of alternating with Firenze," Luna sighed before a quick tug on the cord made the pendent jump up and she caught it in her hand, then turned towards Ginny completely. "So, which seems wrong? Lesson or everything?"

Before Ginny could answer, she inhaled sharply as a sudden pain struck her temples and the room around her started to fade away. When the room started to come back into focus, she found herself standing in what appeared to be a deserted classroom judging by the thick layer of dust on the tables and chairs scattered around the room. Not sure of what she would find she slowly started making her way further into the classroom. "Oh Gods," she cried in surprise when she came across a body lying on the floor. Judging by the clothing it was apparent that it was a man. He was wearing red slacks with gold braiding down the side, a long ivory coloured coat that looked like it came partway down his thighs that had a red sash around the waist along with a gold belt and a red mandarin style colour with the same gold braiding as the pants. The man's long blond hair was tied back in a long braid down his back. As she made her way past the unconscious form, she soon found herself staring at another body, this one obviously female as she was wearing a pale silver and blue ball gown, her hair tied up into a rather intricate hairstyle and a sparkling tiara glittering in the candlelight. The strangest thing about her though was her hair. It refused to remain one colour. While the man's had been blond, hers was shifting between light brown and red. Suddenly she heard a door open off to one side before she heard a voice growl, "_I hope you and your Slytherin lover enjoy your time in Hell. Make sure to give You Know Who my regards_," before the door slammed closed, leaving her alone once more in the room. Carefully she made her way towards the body of the young woman but just as she crouched down next to her, she noticed that the woman's body stopped rising and falling, her breathing had stopped. Ginny rose and quickly made her way over to where she had seen the man earlier, only to arrive at his side and have the same thing happen. He too stopped breathing just as she reached him. "Oh Gods _help_! Somebody _help_! Please help…"

"Ginny!" Luna barely kept from yelling when the other woman suddenly pitched forward and towards her, reaching out to catch her as she collapsed in on herself, "Gin what's wrong..." she asked worriedly.

"They need help," Ginny said quietly.

"Who?"

"I…I don't know," replied Ginny in confusion as she tried to sit back up, her head still in her hands.

"Okay, take a deep breath," Luna instructed softly, glancing towards Trelawney to find the woman watching them with narrowed eyes, but not coming over, and she turned back to Ginny completely. "When you're ready, tell me what you saw okay?"

Ginny nodded only to hiss in pain. "Oh not a good idea," she mumbled.

"Oh, hold that thought," Luna sat back and quickly searched through her various pockets before producing a vial, "Here, family recipe, amazing on headaches especially those related to visions."

Ginny took the vial and downed the potion. Feeling the headache recede somewhat but not totally, she carefully laid her head down on the table in front of her. "I don't feel so good."

"No I imagine you don't," Luna nodded. "Come on, let's get you out of here okay?"

"Yes please," Ginny said into the tabletop.

"Professor," Luna waved her hand and Trelawney made her way over with a frown, "I'm not feeling very well, can I be excused?" she continued, holding her stomach with her other hand.

"Of course," Sybil nodded before glancing at Ginny, "Miss Weasley, escort Miss Lovegood please," she nodded once more before heading back towards her favourite students in the class.

"Come on, we can make it look like I'm leaning on you and you can lean on me if you need instead," Luna continued softly to Ginny as she gathered her things.

"Thanks," Ginny said quietly as she carefully climbed to her feet, putting her arm around Luna's waist. "I think I just need to lie down for a while," she said as they exited the tower.

"Sounds good," Luna nodded more to herself than Ginny. "You want to talk about it, I'm here, so is Neville," she continued as they walked.

"I know, I just wish I could just sleep, no dreams, no potion, just sleep," Ginny said.

"I know Gin," Luna nodded, mind racing with ideas, "Okay I think I have something that might help, it's not a potion and it should help you sleep without any bad dreams, do you still have the stones that Neville gave you last night?"

"They're under my pillow," Ginny said as she slumped against the banister as they waited for the stairwell to return.

"Good," Luna nodded as she quickly went through an inventory of the things in her pockets, and figured out what she would need to summon from her trunk. "Okay, do you want to take a quick shower or something when we get there, just to help you relax before you lay down?" she asked softly as the stairwell settled into place and they started once more on their way.

"I would really rather just lay down," Ginny said. "If I could I'd lay down right where we are to tell you the truth."

"Okay, to bed we go," Luna smiled as they reached the portrait and Ginny quickly gave the password, before they made their way up to her room. "You lay down and relax okay?"

"Mm hmm," Ginny mumbled as she lay down and buried her face in the pillows.

Shaking her head slightly, Luna drew the curtains and after casting a quick warning spell as well as a spell to tell her if Ginny said anything, she slipped into the bathroom and set to work quickly gathering her supplies and putting the 'packets' together. When she was done she slipped back out and checked on Ginny, finding her not quite in the realm of sleep just yet, and quickly hung the bags around Ginny's bed, they would be invisible to anyone other than those with Sídhe blood. Glancing down at Ginny when she was done, she cast a spell to change her clothes to a simple nightgown, her robes folding and laying at the foot of the bed.

"Sleep be with her, peaceful, restful sleep. Let her mind be eased, let the body be calmed. Wings of darkness let the sight of night and dream be clear, be quiet. Let troubles drift away, let her dream," she cast the spell quietly, "Sweet dreams Ginny," she whispered as she placed a quickly written note explaining the 'bags' Ginny would see when she woke on the extra pillow, before slipping away.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Wednesday September 3rd, 1997  
><strong>**The North Tower  
><strong>**Hogwarts Castle  
><strong>**1:17 p.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

"How's she doing?" Neville asked softly after Luna had finished explaining the events from Divinations that morning to him and Blaise as they sat in the Fey Room as it was commonly referred to by any who had ever used it at Hogwarts.

"Sleeping when I checked before coming here. Peacefully it looks like; I think the spell is working."

"I wish I could get it through Draco's thick head that there is definitely some sort of connection between him and Ginny," Blaise sighed as he brushed his hair behind his ear and pushed the strands behind his shoulder.

"Speaking of, where is our second favourite Malfoy?" Neville focused on the other man.

"He's sleeping off a migraine that hit him during Arithmancy this morning, which by the sounds of it, was at the exact moment our favourite red-headed Gryffindor had her vision during Divination," Blaise commented.

Luna hummed to herself before rising and heading to pick up the book she had been going through the day before. "I haven't sent a letter off to River yet to ask about her past life, but I did start going through the history, finally resorted to a spell to help. I was wondering, do you think Dee could be a nickname for Deirdre?"

"The thought had crossed my mind. I found the same information last night but Draco…distracted me before I could ask him about it," Blaise said, a smirk forming on his lips when he remembered just how Draco had distracted him and the subsequent dreams they had shared.

"I'd rather avoid any mental images that creates," Neville shuddered slightly, "Which reminds me, you guys ever going to explain the whole you being betrothed thing that is still floating around the school?" he asked with a smirk. "It has all new life these last few days... I wonder why that is," he teased.

"Do we _really_ need to discuss Draco and Blaise's love life and the cover story they have going?" Luna rolled her eyes. "Do either of you know anything about Méabh? Beyond the fact she was the daughter of the King and was the one who cast the spell that locked the Unseelie beneath the Crystal Lake?"

"No..." Neville glanced over at Blaise with a shrug.

"Only what I found in relation to Deirdre last night," replied Blaise.

"I think we should contact River," Luna suggested quietly.

"No," replied Blaise. "You heard Draco, he doesn't want her involved in this yet."

"I hate to say it, but Draco's a bit too involved I think. _Something's_ going on here, something _bigger_ than any of us. They're both getting migraines after visions now, Ginny who has never _once_ shown the signs of the Sight is seeing visions of people being killed who could _very well_ be you and Draco for all we know. This is more than _we_," Neville gestured at each of them, "can handle. I'll admit River isn't really _that_ much older than any of us, only four years more than you, but she's got the memories of at least _one_ past life. She's got _years_ on all of us knowledge wise. How are we to know that by staying quiet we aren't sentencing the two of them to a fate _none_ of us would want to see..."

"You think I _like_ or even _want_ to keep River in the dark about this because I don't. But I at least would like to live long enough to find out if what I saw when I kissed Ginny the other night actually comes to pass. Also neither of _you_ have to share a room with Draco, and trust me, when he's pissed off, sharing a room with him is the _last_ thing you want to be doing, and I for one do _not_ wish to spend Merlin knows _how_ many nights sleeping on the couch in the common room because I was _stupid_ enough to piss off, probably one of _the_ strongest wizards we've seen in a while, regardless of what the Daily Prophet says about Potter," Blaise snarled.

"Okay, no letter to River," Neville agreed, raising his hands in defeat. "Any ideas of what we should do though?"

"What did she shove in your hand this morning Neville?" asked Blaise, changing the subject.

"Oh," Neville sat up, shaking his head, "Potion, the one she's been taking for years. I actually have it so you can figure out what it is..."

"Has she given you any indication of what it does?" Blaise asked as he sat back in his chair.

"Best either of us have ever understood, from what she understands, it blocks her nightmares plain and simple. But... there's more to it. She's terrified, she doesn't take it and Ron will tell their mum, and I think they've been threatening to send her to Mungo's if she doesn't take it, goes back to Riddle and the Chamber..." Neville glanced at Luna before focusing on Blaise.

"Bloody hell," Blaise cursed. "We have to get her out of that situation and soon if Draco's _injuries_ are any indication of what's been happening to her. If this potion _is_ just a simple nightmare blocker than it won't take me that long to dissect it but if it's more than a simple nightmare blocker, like I suspect it is, it will take me a lot longer to figure it out completely."

"Then it might be best if we stop debating what to do, and let you just get started on figuring out what it is," Neville offered as he produced the vial.

"I have Transfiguration before dinner but I'll set to work on it tonight," Blaise said taking the vial from Neville. "Now perhaps you could tell me what it was that sent our red-head bolting from the Great Hall this morning?" he asked innocently.

"As if you don't know!" Neville rolled his eyes, glancing over at Luna who was still engrossed in the book she had brought over, and a piece of parchment she was writing on. "What did you two do last night that left the girl unable to look at you two without turning as red as her hair?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Blaise said, his face and voice giving away nothing. "As I said earlier, I was doing research into what connection 'Dee' has to do with anything in relation to our past lives when Draco came in and distracted me from my research. You were the last one to see her last night," he pointed out.

"Sure," Neville snorted, "Well whatever didn't happen, Gin sure had some interesting dreams last night that related to the two of you I'm sure considering as mentioned, the one time you two wear your hair down as it were, she's turning twenty shades of red and bolting from the Great Hall when we ask her about it."

"Shared dreams maybe, after you two fell asleep," Luna raised her eyes to Blaise and smiled, "Then again, perhaps they weren't just dreamed," she continued airily before rising and heading towards the exit. "I'll be around if you need me, will keep you updated on Gin..."

"Wait did she just say they weren't dreams?" asked Blaise in confusion. /-/Could that have really happened?/-/

"Sounded like it... And the Gods and Goddesses know I don't question Luna when it comes to dreams anymore than I question River or the Lady Elin herself..." Neville shrugged before grinning, "Nothing happened huh? Although, I really don't want to know, now that I think about it. Yeah, don't want to know about anything a girl I once had a minor thing for who's one of my best friends in the world was doing with two other good friends in their dreams," he shuddered.

"Let's just say it puts you Gryffindors in a whole new light," Blaise smirked. "Who knew the almighty Gryffindors like a little bondage in bed?"

"Oh _God_!" Neville covered his ears, "La la la, la la la, I hear nothing, I know nothing..." he sang as he scrunched his eyes shut.

Blaise couldn't help the chuckle that escaped at Neville's reaction. He would need to talk to Draco about their shared dream possibly being more than just a simple dream, but he'd have to wait for his lover to wake up before he could do that. "Goodbye Neville," he said as he rose gracefully from his chair, picking up his bag as he went before leaving the room and heading off to Transfiguration.

"Bloody scary image and he leaves me with that," Neville muttered to himself before rising with a sigh and going off in search of Luna. "So... you been up to something..." he began as he sat down next to her.

"Just research, now shoo, the Quibbler arrived." she countered as she flipped to the next page in the magazine. He watched her a moment before rising and making his way towards his next class.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Wednesday September 3rd, 1997  
><strong>**Hall near Gryffindor Tower  
><strong>**Hogwarts Castle  
><strong>**9:48 p.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

Ginny had been grateful when Ron never brought up any slight infraction she may have unknowingly done during dinner or the fact that she had failed to show up for lunch or to any of her classes after Divination that morning. Dinner had been complete torture for her. Along with trying not to do anything to draw Ron's attention and thereby his wrath, she was doing her damnedest to keep her gaze anywhere but on the two Slytherins who had haunted her dreams the night before, one of which had haunted her dreams earlier that afternoon.

The Slytherin's attention on the Gryffindor table did not go unnoticed unfortunately; Hermione had been the first one to notice their undivided attention on her house table but was unable to determine what it was that had caught their eye. Of course she brought this to the attention of Harry and Ron who had spent the rest of the meal trying to figure out what it was that the Slytherins were staring at. Unfortunately for Ginny, Hermione commented towards the end of dinner that the Slytherins appeared to be staring towards where she was sitting with Neville.

Thankfully Ron did nothing except gripe about the Slytherins eyeing up his sister before rising from the Gryffindor Table with Harry so that they could make their way out towards the Quidditch pitch for the Gryffindor Quidditch team tryouts. Ginny had always wanted to try out for a chaser spot but the minute she had learned that Ron was trying out; she changed her mind and never even put her name down for consideration. As Ron made his way from the Great Hall, Ginny breathed a sigh of relief before collecting her own things and making her way off towards the library. She may have missed her classes but that didn't mean she could skip doing the homework and for some, the homework and tests were the only ways she could make sure her marks stayed low enough to keep her mum happy.

Ginny spent the evening tucked away in her favourite corner at the back of the library, working on her assignments from the day, trying to keep the images from her dreams from invading her mind as she worked, and given the images, that was a hard feat on her part. With a sigh, knowing that it was now impossible for her to finish her assignment since her mind was quite firmly engrossed with the images playing over in her head, Ginny collected up her books and made her way out of the library and up towards Gryffindor Tower.

As she was climbing one of the staircases, she started to hesitate when she noticed a pair of feet standing at the top of the stairs. Looking up, she swallowed nervously as she came face to face with an irate Ron. Before she could defend herself and without a single word spoken, Ron back handed her so hard across the face that she was thrown off balance and her bag and books fell from her arms. While she was still off balance, Ron punched her in the jaw with enough force to send her tumbling down the stairs, before he turned and made his way down the hall towards the Fat Lady, leaving Ginny where she collapsed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

**gdgbgdgb**

Neville was pretty much lost in thought over various things, schoolwork competing for space with worries over Ginny and Draco and all of them really at the school who bore Sídhe blood, so the last thing he expected was to nearly stumble over something at the foot of the stairs. Glancing down, his heart dropped somewhere down around his feet as he fell to his knees next to the prone form, "Ginny! Come on Gin girl, wake up," he continued softly as he carefully brushed the hair from her face with one hand, shook her shoulder slightly with the other.

Ginny groaned in pain as Neville shook her shoulder.

"Okay won't do that, but Gin girl I need you to open your eyes for me okay?" he whispered, glancing around and casting a quick charm to alert him if anyone came near the stairs.

Ginny slowly tried to push herself up only to collapse to the floor once more.

"Yes, moving isn't the wisest thing at the moment," Neville nodded. "Come on, we're gonna get you somewhere safe alright. I'm fairly certain you don't want to go see Pomfrey and even if you did I'm putting my foot down and saying you're not going to see her," he continued as he conjured a stretcher under her.

"Tower…"

"Well Gin, I think we're going to do a detour first," he smiled reassuringly as he grasped the end of the stretcher and after another quick glance around, he phased both of them to the Fey Room, as carefully as possible moving her from the stretcher onto a couch turned bed. "You okay, can I hop back to get anything you might have dropped and get some help?"

"Hurts…" Ginny said quietly through her tears.

"I know Gin girl," he soothed, trying not to take a step back as he took in the changes. /-/Blaise should start looking into magic blockers in that potion.../-/ he thought to himself as he quickly moved to a cupboard and found the potion he sought, "This will help with the pain until I get back and we can start working on figuring out exactly what hurts okay?" he asked as he came back, waiting for her agreement before actually giving it to her.

Ginny nodded silently before Neville helped her take the potion before laying her back down.

"I'll be right back okay Gin," he asked, seeing her nod, before phasing back to where they had been, under cover of an invisibility charm. Seeing no one around he hurried up the stairs and gathered Ginny's things that lay there, before focusing on Luna and phasing to her.

"Neville?" she looked up from where she was laying on her bed surprised. "What is it?"

"It's Gin," he answered simply.

"Draco? Blaise?" she asked as she rose.

"Going there next."

"Let's go," she nodded before phasing out of the room and he followed, both appearing in the private common area of the Head Boy's Room. "Dia is Muire dhuit? (Hello?)" she called.

"In here," came Blaise's voice through the door.

"Draco's in pain too isn't he?" Luna asked as she marched through the door, not surprised to find Draco laying on the bed as Blaise hovered over him. "By the Gods and Goddesses, how bad is she?" she whirled on Neville as he followed in behind her.

"I found Gin at the bottom of the stairs that led to the Fat Lady. She's in the Room, is Draco well enough to move him there. It might be easier for both of us to work together to help both of them at once..."

"Hello, I can help too!" Luna huffed as she looked between the two men.

"I can get him there," Blaise said as he walked over to the side of the bed that Draco was lying on. "Forgive me mo chroí (my heart)," he said quietly as he carefully picked Draco up, hearing him moan quietly in pain as he was moved.

"I'll follow last," Luna offered before Neville phased away from the room, Blaise glanced at her and nodded before phasing both him and Draco, and she followed to find Blaise laying Draco down on another couch turned bed while Neville hovered over Ginny. "You, go get started on whatever you need," she ordered as she moved next to him and he straightened before heading to a cupboard, knowing better than to argue with her. "Hey Gin girl, how you feeling?" she asked softly as she knelt down next to the bed.

"Luna?" Ginny asked, her voice quiet and tiny.

"Hey love," she smiled as she reached out to carefully brush a lock of hair behind Ginny's ear, cataloguing the fact it was now much more brown than yesterday, and straighter, and the familiar brown eyes were now a lighter shade. "Can you tell me where it hurts?"

"Draco?" Ginny called quietly, her arm reaching out towards him when she caught sight of him on the other bed.

"I'm coming," Draco replied, his voice laced with pain as he tried to rise from the bed.

"You're not going to bloody well get your arse up and hurt yourself more," Blaise muttered as he gently picked Draco up and moved him over to the other bed.

"Wouldn't it have been easier to move Ginny?" Luna mused as Neville returned with a number of things in his arms and she turned to unload him.

"She has a point you know," Neville smiled.

"Shut up," Blaise shot back as he rolled his eyes. "Luna you be nurse, Neville let's get these started," he nodded towards the essential ingredients to a number of salves, potions, and other healing spells."

"Okay, I'll be your resident nurse today, can you guys tell me what hurts or would it be easier if I used a spell?" Luna focused on Ginny and Draco as they lay next to each other, Ginny's hand in his.

"Spell," Draco said as he carefully rolled onto his side so he could be closer to Ginny, his body resting right along her side as he raised his free hand to caress her cheek gently and wipe away her tears.

"That so has to be painful," Luna murmured more to herself before casting the magic and then moving over to the side of Neville and Blaise to talk to them. "Gin's got a few cracked ribs, two broken, her left leg and arm are both broken as well as one nasty concussion. If that wasn't enough, her jaw is cracked, I think she's been punched or else someone threw a brick at her like River would say... and a whole menagerie of bruises. Draco doesn't have anything broken, but he does have a crack that aligns perfectly with the breaks in her arm and legs and her broken ribs, the ribs that are cracked on Gin are just majorly bruised for him, same with his jaw. Whatever's been going on... it's gotten stronger," she explained quickly and quietly.

"I wonder if that potion blocks out the Sídhe aspect, with her appearance changing, and the link between them getting stronger..." Neville glanced over at Blaise who was frowning at the mixture he was working with.

"Let's get them taken care of, and then worry about that Damnú (Goddamn) potion," Blaise spoke after a moment.

"Alright, here, start with this on any bruises you can reach," Neville passed a bottle to Luna and she nodded before heading back to the bed.

"Shh… It's alright Dee, I know it hurts," Draco said trying to soothe Ginny and calm her tears. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise," he said as he carefully pulled her head towards him and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Gin I'll start with you first okay? This is going to start healing the bruises, at least so they aren't painful anymore since if you suddenly don't have them it might raise questions, and it's going to numb them so you can't feel any pain from them at all until they're healed..." After a moment Luna carefully started rubbing the lotion like potion over the bruises, thankful for the fact the numbing aspect went into effect instantaneously. Once she had managed to get to all of Ginny's visible bruises she gave Draco a look when he looked up at her as she raised her wand, and he rolled his eyes before focusing completely on Ginny once more as she cast a simple spell to change his pants to shorts and his shirt to disappear entirely so she could get to the bruises he had, nowhere near as many as Ginny but he did have some.

By the time she was done, Neville was there with the next aspect of their war on injuries and things pretty much continued along that vein for a while. Two hours after Neville had shown up in Luna's room, both Ginny and Draco were comfortably asleep and every injury they had related to the fall down the stairs was at the very least, healed ninety percent, and the three promptly collapsed on the remaining couch exhausted.

"You think anyone would really notice if Ron went missing?" Luna asked curiously.

"I'm fairly certain one of the Golden Trio going missing is going to be the beginning of a war bigger than the Muggle's proverbial 'World War III', so yes."

"Spoil sport," Luna shot at Blaise before yawning.

"Should get Gin back before Ron has a fit..." Neville began after a moment.

"Would rather keep her here," Blaise muttered darkly.

"You and me both," Luna nodded as she curled up to rest her head against his shoulder, "I'm tired, you make a good pillow right now and Neville makes a good foot rest."

"Hey! Why can't he be the foot rest?"

"Don't see Blaise freaking over a head rest like he would a foot rest," she answered sleepily. "Twenty minute nap, then we worry about moving Ginny to the Tower."

"I can agree to a nap," Neville smiled before Blaise tossed a throw pillow at him.

"Shut up, trying to sleep," he muttered before shifting long enough to pull his hair out from behind his back and toss it over the back of the couch so it wouldn't get pulled.

"Violent one...ugh!" Neville groaned when Luna kicked him lightly in the stomach, and he wisely stayed silent after that until he dozed off.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Saturday September 6th, 1997  
><strong>**Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes  
><strong>**Hogsmeade Village  
><strong>**11:52 a.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

"Good morning, welcome to Weasleys Wizard Wheezes!" Fred called as the door opened.

"Morning," Luna called back as she and Neville made their way into the store.

"Well if it isn't our fellow Lions," George grinned as he appeared next to them. "Come on, got something new to show you, I'll be in back Gred!" he called before leading them towards the back. "So have plans for lunch?"

"Not that I know of…" Neville glanced at Luna then back at George, "Did I miss something?" he asked as they entered the back room

"Oh a great many things assuredly."

"River!" he nearly jumped when he heard the voice of the woman waiting in the back room, playing with the Gods and Goddesses only knew what new invention of the twins. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a person come visit her lover and see a few other friends while in town without an interrogation?" she asked curiously as she watched him, blowing the lock of white hair that had fallen over her eyes up before it fell right back where it was and she absently pushed it away.

"You wrote her didn't you?" he turned on Luna, "Blaise and Draco are going to _kill_ us. I swear I'm telling them it was all you…"

"Oh do calm down," Luna rolled her eyes before crossing the room to hug the woman as she rose. "Good to see you River."

"You too Luna, Neville," she smiled at him before glancing at George as he sat down. "And Luna was right to write me, contrary to my dear nephew's opinion on the matter."

"He's going to so kill us," Neville groaned. "What exactly did you write her?"

"To ask her about Deirdre, anything she can explain about past lives, and explain that Draco's got a connection with Ginny who we're sure is a Sídhe," she shrugged absently as she sat down.

"Always thought there was something different about Gin, always was closer to her than anyone save Fred… but when we never saw any sign…" George shrugged, "Should have known better."

"Don't beat yourself up leannáin (lover)," River smiled at him as she sat down once more, Luna having already found a seat. "So before I offer my opinion, what's been going on since your letter?"

"I'm not hearing any of this," Neville raised his hands to his ears as the other three rolled their eyes.

"Well," Luna began before beginning to explain everything since she had sent her letter off Wednesday afternoon, Neville finding Ginny and the group taking care of her and Draco in the Fey Room. Waking up the next morning and trying to get everyone back before certain people, mainly Ron to be honest, noticed. The fact that since then Ginny had been avoiding Draco like the plague really, and managed to blow up her potion much to Blaise's annoyance in class Thursday. She was back on the potion they knew as the physical changes were gone, and she had explained those as well much to George's shock as he just stared at her with his mouth hanging open, though if that was because of the information about Ron beating her or her appearance had changed when she was off the potion their mum had been giving her for years… Luna wasn't quite sure. Ginny hadn't exactly been hanging around them as much, more following the Trio, but she wasn't having any new major injuries that they knew of since Draco wasn't turning up majorly injured recently so…

"And Blaise hasn't had a chance to decipher this potion?" the elder Sídhe asked softly after Luna was done explaining.

"No, too many aspects he says, he suspects it's more than one potion combined but which ones…"

"Hmm," River sighed before reaching over and rubbing George's back, "Breathing is good a rún (my dear)."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure," he nodded as he looked between her and the two still at Hogwarts. "I think I'm going to go…" he pointed over his shoulder at the shop.

"Is he going to tell Fred?" Luna asked after he left.

"Don't worry, I will if he doesn't," River offered as she rose. "Come on, we should go get something to eat, and I'll fill you in on my information regarding Deirdre, past lives, and such. Perhaps we'll find my darling nephew and cousin while we're out and can just avoid telling them I know a bit more, so they don't kill you any time soon," she glanced at Neville and smiled.

"I just know I'm going to be killed by the Slytherin Princes," Neville sighed before rising.

"Do grow a backbone Nev," Luna countered, "Besides they can't hurt you, River'd never allow it."

"He's her nephew, doesn't mean she can completely control him," he argued as they made their way towards the door.

"Even if he were my brother, he'd still have to listen to me in regards to letting you live," she countered with a look before leading the way into the shop and she headed towards the counter where Fred and George were checking someone out.

"Leaving then?" Fred asked after the customer had left.

"For lunch yes," River nodded.

"Uh oh…" Neville's quiet words drew everyone's attention to him and then to the door where Ginny had just entered with Ron, Hermione, and Harry, though for the moment the fours' attention wasn't on the counter.

"Ginny's holding Harry's hand… Mum will be happy," Fred mused.

"You didn't say anything," River looked at George whose eyes got huge as Fred turned on him.

"I'll tell you after we have lunch Fredrick darling," River smiled before moving away, Luna and Neville shared a look before quickly following after her as she moved from the counter.

**gdgbgdgb**

"I wonder who that is with Neville and Luna," Hermione mused as she looked at the woman with them who was wearing jeans and a white sweater, nearly curly hair pulled up in a ponytail high on her head that fell to the lower part of her back, with two streaks of straight, pure white hair framing her face that touched her shoulders.

"Beats me," Ron shrugged. "Come on, let's go see Fred and George, see if they got anything for their favourite brother."

Ginny was so caught up in her thoughts that she never noticed that they had entered her brothers' shop. Her thoughts, as they had for the last few days, were swirling around the events of a few nights ago. The last thing she could remember from her confrontation with Ron was him punching her in the jaw and her subsequent tumble down the stairs. Needless to say she was quite surprised when she woke up the next morning to find herself in a room she barely recognized with Luna laying on a couch with her head in Blaise's lap and her feet in Neville's. It wasn't until she felt the arm around her middle tighten and pull her closer into the body that lay spooned up against her back that she realized she wasn't alone in the bed and judging by the people currently sleeping on the couch, the man behind her could only be one person, and it definitely was _**not**_ Harry. What surprised her even more was the fact that the thought of lying there in Harry's arms was not as appealing as the feeling she had knowing that she was being held tightly by none other than Draco Malfoy; one of the Slytherin Princes.

Carefully, she had managed to roll over in Draco's arms without disturbing his sleep at all. When she was finally lying facing him, she gently traced her finger along the side of his face, burning it into her memory. Taking his face gently in her hands she placed a chaste kiss on his forehead before very carefully lifting his arm from her waist and climbing out of bed.

As quietly as she could Ginny made her way across the room, making sure she didn't wake anyone. As she reached the door, she looked back towards the bed. "I'm sorry but no matter how much my soul is telling me this is right, I can't ignore my head which is telling me this is so very very wrong," she whispered before making her way out of the room and up to Gryffindor Tower.

Without realizing it, Ginny had let go of Harry's hand and had wandered over to one of the shelves that had a cage sitting on it that was full of little pink and purple puffballs.

"Oi! Ginger!" Fred and George appeared next to her suddenly.

"What do you think, cute little things aren't they?" George asked with a smile.

"Always reminds me of Ronnikin's one that loved to play Quidditch so," Fred grinned.

Ginny flinched slightly at the sound of Ron's name. "What are they exactly?" she asked curiously.

"Pygmy Puffs."

"Puffskeins, but smaller," Fred continued. "Feorge here insisted on selling some, said they fit in perfectly with our other products, not quite sure I get where he's going but... they are adorable little buggers so," he shrugged.

"They're really cute," Ginny admitted with a sigh, knowing she couldn't afford one and there was no way Ron would get it for her and she didn't feel comfortable asking Harry to get one for her.

"Want one?" Fred asked after a moment of the brothers watching her.

"I don't think I should. Mum wouldn't like it much," she replied quietly.

"Keep it with you at school and when you go home we'll keep it at our place," George offered. "Do something for yourself Ginger. Besides, you need a pet, haven't had once since that cat that you, me, and Gred shared when you were three."

"Thanks, but I don't think so," Ginny said before turning and making her way back to Harry's side, taking up position beside and just behind him, taking his hand in hers.

"Smile Gred, I know something you don't," George whispered in his twin's ear before the two followed over to chat with the other three teens.

"Business looks like it's good," Harry observed when the twins joined them.

"Oh very good. Best quarter yet," Fred nodded. "Part of why I let my dear beloved brother talk me into the mini puffskeins. Want one Ron? I'm sure it won't be a Quidditch fan again," he grinned.

"I think not, not after what you did to my puffskein years ago. I can't stand the sight of those creatures now thanks to you two," Ron snapped in irritation, he had not missed the fact that Ginny had been looking at the creatures a few minutes earlier.

"But they're so cute Ronnikins. Mione, tell me you wouldn't love to cuddle up with one of these little guys? I'm sure even Crookshanks would love em," Fred produced a pink one from somewhere on him.

"I'll be helping a customer if you need me to rescue you, or if they need me to rescue them from you Gred," George smirked before heading off towards a group of Ravenclaws.

"Crookshanks might try to eat it I'm afraid," Hermione replied. "Besides we just stopped in to see how things were going before heading over to the costume shop. Dumbledore announced a Halloween Ball at breakfast this morning."

"Well if that isn't the best news in years. They haven't done a Halloween Ball since Feorge's and my first year... Thought the Bloody Baron got it banned or something. Any idea what you're gonna go as?"

"We were thinking of doing a group theme but we only seem to come up with themes for three people and now that Harry and Ginny are seeing each other…" Hermione trailed off.

"Hmm, well that does pose a problem doesn't it? Why not do something unique, Feorge has a girl as you know, she's trying to talk us into going to a Halloween Ball over in Fleur's former corner of the world. Sent me on the hunt to find someone to take, bossy one she is, how Feorge puts up with her," Fred rolled his eyes. "But she's got an idea of doing a theme like characters from that muggle writer William something or other. Or two different couples in history from the same time period or some such thing... Not quite listening all that much to be honest. Feorge is the one dating her; he can be the one to listen to her..."

"I think we'll manage just fine," commented Ron rather coldly. "Come on guys, we better get to the costume shop before everyone else gets there and nothing's left."

"Well something's got his knickers in a twist," Fred muttered after the four had moved away, Ron not giving anyone a chance to say goodbye really as he turned and stalked off.

"You have no idea, oh brother my brother," George commented under his breath as he stopped next to him. "Oh and we need to make up a new batch of Wildfire Whiz Bangs, Ravens are buying us out, going to be an interesting Halloween Ball I think." he continued as they watched the quartet leave the store and Ron promptly run into Draco Malfoy of all people as he was walking down the street with Blaise.

"Ronnikins is taking his life in his hands isn't he..."

"You have no idea," George sighed.

"Watch it Ferret Face," snarled Ron after running into Draco on his way out of the store.

"Watch what exactly Weasley?" Draco raised his eyebrow, "An idiot who doesn't know that you're not supposed to walk into people?"

"_You_ walked into _me_ you git," snarled Ron, getting up in Draco's face.

"Actually _**I**_ was walking nice and calmly, you're the one that came out of the store without looking where you were going. Tell me, is there some emergency that has you in such a hurry? Or are you just afraid that if you slow down for a few minutes, your girlfriend might actually get a good look at you and realize she made a mistake?"

"Why you slimy little…" Ron never got to finish his statement as he suddenly found Ginny standing between him and Draco, her hand on his wand arm trying to stop him from drawing his wand.

Ginny didn't know what made her suddenly step between the two wizards and she knew before she even did it that the consequences of her actions would be severe but there was something inside of her that just made her get between the two. "Ron don't…please," she pleaded quietly. "Draco…Blaise…please just go…"

If she was going to say anything more she never got the chance as Ron grabbed her fiercely by the arm. "What are you doing?" he demanded angrily. "How _dare_ you try to tell me what I can and cannot do," he snarled as he spun her around and started dragging her away from the group.

"Ron I'm sorry…please…you're hurting me…" Ginny pleaded as Ron dragged her down a deserted alley.

"Don't you _ever_ do that to me again," he snarled angrily as he grabbed Ginny by the throat and slammed her roughly up against the back wall of the building he'd pulled her behind. "Do you understand?" he asked again as he tightened his grip on Ginny's throat, her hands coming up to try to remove his hand from her throat as he began cutting her air off. "Scream and I will kill you," he whispered in her ear as she felt his wand touch her side seconds before she heard a word pass his lips that she never thought to hear from the mouth of a Weasley, least of all Ron who was best friends with the saviour of the wizarding world.

Screaming was the last thing on Ginny's mind when she felt the curse hit and the pain course through her body since she was already finding it hard to breath thanks to Ron's hand on her throat, the effects of the curse just made it that much harder for her to breath.

After a few minutes, which felt like a lifetime, Ron lifted the curse and released his hold on Ginny, letting her fall to the ground in a heap. Crouching down in front of her, he grabbed her chin and forced her face towards his. "Go back to Gryffindor Tower and stay there until Harry, Hermione and I return. I'll be checking with the Fat Lady when we get back and if I find out you were anywhere _but_ in Gryffindor Tower, what I just did to you will feel like a walk in the park. Understood?"

Ignoring both her pain and her tears, Ginny nodded. Once Ron released his hold on her chin, she careful rose to her feet as Ron stepped back from her, and made her way along the back alley through Hogsmeade so as not to be seen as she made her way back up towards Gryffindor Tower.

After watching his sister disappear around the farthest building, Ron made his way back out onto High Street, where Harry and Hermione were still waiting and glaring at the two Slytherins who were still standing where they were moments before.

"Where's Ginny?" asked Harry in concern.

"She wasn't feeling well so she decided to head back to the castle. I told her we'd take care of getting her costume for her," Ron said as he rejoined Harry and Hermione. "Come on guys, let's get someplace a little less snake infested," he said as the three of them started off in the direction of the costume shop.

"Blaise…" Draco ground out as his legs gave out on him, as the trio walked away from them.

"Got you," Blaise slid a hand around Draco's waist so he could lean on him. "Come on, we'll go see the twins..." he whispered, nodding towards the shop next to them.

"Zabini, Malfoy, we got a new product you just have to try," George appeared in the doorway with a grin.

"You just want our money Weasley," Blaise countered.

"Of course, we do," he agreed as Blaise led Draco in.

"You look like you just went twenty rounds with old Voldie himself," Fred mused as he hung the 'back in twenty' sign and shut the door behind them, already having cleared out the last of the students roaming.

"Chair…bed…floor is looking good about now," Draco mumbled as he tried to stay on his feet.

"Gred, chair," George glanced at him as he cast a spell that would make anyone looking in the windows see the shop but not anyone _**in**_ the shop, while Fred transfigured a chair.

"What happened?" Blaise asked softly after Draco pretty much collapsed into the chair.

"Feels like she was hit with a curse," Draco replied quietly, wincing in pain as he tried to reposition himself slightly in the chair.

"What curse do you think?" Blaise asked as George pulled Fred towards the back room.

"Judging by how I feel and I can assure you she feels worse, my guess would be Cruciatus. My father hit me with it enough times that I would know the feel of it in my sleep," Draco said.

"Diancecht's Blood," Blaise breathed as he sat back.

"There a reason you're taking the name of our ever so annoying, shouldn't be a God but is, ancestor's name in vain cousin?"

"River," Draco grunted as pain swept through him, which he figured was due to Ginny lying down on her bed, as it seemed to be localized to one side of his body.

"I'd say 'Good Day' but you look like you're ready to let the White Lady herself lead you to the Undying Lands," River mused as she moved further into the shop, Luna and Neville staying back by the door as Fred and George came out of the back. "And take it from one who's been there; it's not all it's cracked up to be... What in the name of Elin's holy water happened to you?" she asked softly, concern the most evident thing now.

"Potion mo chroí (my heart)," Draco hissed towards Blaise.

"Here," River produced a vial when Blaise started to rise. "Someone want to explain what's going on to the poor confused elder of our little circle?"

"Out of curiosity, what even brings you to Hogsmeade this weekend," Blaise glanced at her before focusing completely on Draco once more after he downed the contents of the vial.

"I'm sleeping with the nicer of the two inventors over there and you're surprised I happen to be in the area around their shop?"

"Someone needs to get a potion to her," Draco said, ignoring his aunt as he looked meaningfully at Blaise. "She's barely conscious."

"Okay," Blaise nodded before looking back at Neville.

"I'll go, you certainly can't get into the Tower so..." he shrugged before disappearing as he phased to the Fey Room, the only room in the castle that wasn't protected by the wards around the school, thanks in part to the fact Rowena Ravenclaw had herself been part Sídhe and while Slytherin was busy with his chamber, she was making arrangements for those students who were part of the 'family'.

"I get the distinct feeling that I am purposely not being told things that involve a certain newly discovered Sídhe at Hogwarts," River raised an eyebrow, glancing back at Luna before looking back at Draco and Blaise as she conjured a chair and sat down.

"There's a new Sídhe at the school? Seelie or Unseelie? Do we need to do a break-in and capture?" Fred bounced from foot to foot.

"Do calm down," Luna shot at him with a roll of her eyes.

"Seelie," Draco said from his spot in the chair, the potion finally easing the pain for the most part.

"Makes sense," River nodded.

"It does?"

"How likely is it for one of Ailill's to get to an established student at Hogwarts," River looked over at Fred who shrugged. "So... what now you two, you're the elder of our group at the school now..." she focused on Draco and Blaise.

"We need to know what the Weasel's relationship with his sister is," commented Draco.

"George..." Fred looked over at his twin.

"I know," he sighed. "Ron's always been the one whose job it was to protect Gin. Mum's orders. More like her keeper it seemed at times but who were we to argue."

"Uh, why are we discussing Ron and Ginny's relationship... and why aren't you surprised?" Fred looked back and forth between everyone there as Luna looked up at the ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen, and River stared at Draco and Blaise.

"Fred, you were there with me in wondering if Gin could be one of us after we found out about our heritage, don't be so surprised..." George looked over at him quickly.

"Okay so yes but we're discussing dear annoying Ronnikins _why_? I swear if he's a Sídhe in hiding I'm resigning my proverbial wings."

"It's not him," Blaise said quietly. "She'll be okay mo chroí (my heart), Neville will make sure of it."

"I _know_ that," snapped Draco in irritation. "I just wish he'd hurry up already," he sighed worriedly as he dropped his head into his hands. "She's in so much pain."

"Pain that would require some sort of explanation mo thiascí (my treasure)," River smiled gently, "Now we're sure young Ginny is a Seelie, and no I'm not even considering she might be otherwise. So it would seem to me it's about time we work on getting her away from the school and any interference so we can explain the things she has missed out on hearing all this time. And it would probably be best if it comes from you two first," she looked over at the twins. "What do you think?" she focused back on Draco and Blaise. "After the pain you're feeling from the connection subsides and you can think easier of course Dra."

"She's refused to leave Potter's side the past few days, ever since…" Blaise trailed off looking at Draco.

"Don't look at me, I didn't do anything. I woke up and she was gone, next thing I know, she's attached herself to Potter's side. You're the one tutoring her in potions and even Neville and Luna have told us how she's isolating herself from even them," Draco countered.

"Maybe she saw something when she was unconscious. Wouldn't be the first time..." Luna offered.

"Wait? What?"

"Fredrick darling, shut up," River glanced at him. "I think you need to fill me in, I can help very likely and it sounds like you need help..."

"She seems to think I'm going to kill her," Blaise said quietly.

"Well that sounds all sorts of complicated..." River sat back and looked between them. "More details are necessary please."

"That's all we know," Draco said. "If she's seen anything else, she's never mentioned it. Of course, every time we've been in a room with her, she's either been unconscious or asleep."

"I see..." River nodded. "And you have a connection to her, her pain..." she focused on Draco.

"It would appear that way," Draco commented.

"Every time we've found her hurt in someway, Draco has the identical injuries just not to the same extent. Other than today, the worst was a few days ago. Neville found Ginny unconscious at the bottom of a flight of stairs and I had Draco here suddenly drop on me in our rooms," Blaise offered.

"Interesting..." River nodded. "Definitely not a sibling bond so that leaves only one other option..."

"Finally," Draco mumbled, feeling the lingering pain almost completely ease away. "Can you get her talking in potions at all mo chroí (my heart)?"

"I'm too busy trying to keep her from blowing up the classroom to try to get her talking. If I didn't know any better I'd swear your cunning was rubbing off on her. Merlin she even sounds like you at times," Blaise countered.

"You know, you'd think they would know by now I despise being ignored," River glanced over at Fred and George.

"No kidding, you get ignored you go psycho. Why I can't understand how my brother can be sleeping with you."

"Because the sex is good of course," River smirked. "Now you two do know I can kill you very easily right?" she asked the two Slytherins.

"Yes but you wouldn't," smirked Blaise.

"Don't tempt me leanbh (child)," she shot back.

"You'll have to forgive me River but I've been a little preoccupied over here," Draco snarled. "The cruciatus curse is quite painful even when you're receiving it second hand."

"And if you simply explained in the first place, very simply, 'River I can't talk, experiencing second-hand Cruciatus'... I would have not been quite so frustrated with you or you with me."

"Sorry River, but ever since we arrived at Hogwarts, Draco's focus has been on a certain redheaded Gryffindor," Blaise said, ignoring the glare Draco was sending his way. "Is there someway we can block the connection?"

"No," Draco snapped.

"I can't focus on freeing her if I'm concerned about the effect Ron's behaviour is having on you mo chroí (my heart)," Blaise countered.

River remained quiet a few moments before nodding slowly, almost to herself, "There is a way to not necessarily block the connection as you are so opposed to it dathúil (nephew)," she focused on him before glancing back at Blaise, "but there is a way to block the connection in the sense that it would block you from experiencing the physical effects of the connection."

"How?" questioned Blaise.

"You'd have to come back with me to Suaimhneas (River's house Serenity) with me for a little while, we'd need to stay a day or two while I find a few things and speak with Elin and likely you'll have to see one of the Healers at Tír Na Nóg..."

"I'm not the one in need of a healer," sneered Draco, glaring at Blaise.

"If this continues unchecked Draco, it won't merely be you getting a minor physical pain aligning with her injuries, minor of course in the sense of comparing your pain to hers," she corrected herself quickly, "The pain you feel will strengthen until you may suffer the same amount of pain she feels, or perhaps more. How will you help her if you are unable to function through your own pain?"

"How can I protect her if I'm not here," countered Draco.

"You trust your ionúin (beloved) and your companions to watch over one they care about as well," River countered quietly, "You must worry about yourself. Dá mbeifeá chomh láidir le crann darach, gheobhadh an bás an ceann is fearr ort (If you are as strong as an oak tree, death will still vanquish you)."

"Fine," sighed Draco.

"That was actually easier than I expected," River chuckled as she rose. "Come on, sooner we get you to the Healers and get things started, the sooner we can get you back to the rest of the circle here, your ionúin (beloved), and young Ginevra's sides."

"Watch over her mo chroí (my heart)," Draco said getting up from his seat. "Make sure Snape doesn't go too hard on her if she continues to succeed in getting something past you."

"Of course a rún (my dear), you take care of yourself. I'll watch over her." Blaise promised as he rose and pulled Draco close, " Gráim thú (I love you)," he whispered in the other man's ear before pulling back, brushing his lips lightly over Draco's before taking a step back.

"Gráim thú (I love you)," Draco whispered in return before looking towards his aunt.

"Take care of yourself Draco," Luna spoke softly as River linked her arm with his. "Slán go fóill (Goodbye for now)."

"Slán, (Goodbye) " River glanced at her before looking at Blaise and nodding, a silent promise she'd protect the man they both loved in their own way, a moment later the two phased away.

"Not to sound all needy but... could someone explain what the bloody hell just happened and what's going on with Ron and Ginny and... I'm _**so**_ confused!" Fred whined at the end.

"Blaise?" Luna looked over at him.

"Go ahead, I'm going to go see if I can't find Neville and see how Gin is doing. See if I can start figuring out how to keep her from destroying potions and making Snape all pissy, and also keep Ron from getting on her for getting a potion right..."

"Good luck," Luna nodded before he phased away.

"Potions?" Fred stared between his twin and the blonde.

"Come on, need to sit down Gred..."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**gdgbgdgb**

**Friday October 31****st****, 1997  
><strong>**Sixth Year Girls Dormitory  
><strong>**Gryffindor Tower  
><strong>**Hogwarts Castle  
><strong>**4:25 p.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

Just shy of eight weeks had passed since Draco left, eight for the most part rather quiet weeks. Blaise, Luna, and Neville continued to watch over Ginny as much as possible, she had taken to staying with Ron, Hermione, and Harry the majority of the time. The major plus to that decision meant Ron had no real reason to beat her, except for one time that the three honestly didn't know if Ginny would make it, Blaise had barely been able to keep them from contacting the twins or more importantly River and Draco for help, no matter how much he himself had wanted to. For the most part Ginny had still managed to keep Blaise from being able to save her potions, but one time she had done it right just for herself, to know what it was like, and Blaise had just sat back and smiled, not even thinking about the repercussions that were to come. Ron was far from pleased when he discovered she had failed once more.

But, by the grace of some greater power, Ginny had made it, and never made the same mistake twice so to speak, spending less time with Neville and Luna, and only seeing Blaise in her Potions class as the weeks progressed. But while she was no longer being abused by her brother, she was being killed in other ways, loosing weight that she couldn't afford to loose, though it was just the three who realized it, realized she wasn't eating. But there was nothing they could do, except slip her munchies when they could and pray for the best, wait for Draco to return and hopefully figure out a way between the four of them, or five if Draco didn't fight River being involved, seven if the twins finally got a say like Fred especially was pressing for though they were staying out of things per instructions from River, together perhaps they could figure out… _something_.

The morning of the Halloween Ball had dawned a rather nice day, the planned theme for the Trio and Ginny being as once mentioned, revolving around Camelot. Ginny had told Hermione that she'd be fine on her own so Hermione could get ready, and it was Luna who appeared to help out as she got ready instead, much to Ginny's relief.

"Oh no," Ginny groaned when she opened the bag that had arrived from the costume shop in Hogsmeade earlier that day.

"What?" Luna tried to look into the bag.

"This isn't right," Ginny said as she tried to close the bag back up. "I can't wear this."

"And why can't you?" Luna argued, trying to get to the bag to open it. "Let me see at least!"

"They sent me the wrong dress," Ginny said as she fell backwards onto her bed, her hands covering her face. "Ron and Harry are not going to be happy."

"Harry?" Luna asked as she grabbed the bag finally and looked inside. "Gin this is amazing, Harry should be thrilled to have the prettiest girl at the Ball on his arm. And it looks like it could be Camelot... uh... ish," she shrugged.

"Are you blind Luna?" Ginny asked lifting her head momentarily to look at her friend before dropping it back to the bed. "That screams princess and that's Hermione, not me."

"Well considering Hermione is going as _Queen_ Guinevere, how do you know you being a princess wasn't part of the plan?"

"It wasn't," Ginny said with surety.

"They changed their minds?"

"No, they didn't. Ron's going as Arthur, Hermione as Guinevere and Harry as Lancelot," Ginny said.

"And..." Luna trailed off

"And what?" sighed Ginny. "And nothing Luna. That is not my dress."

"Gin, there aren't any other ones in town, nadda, nothing, trust me I tried to get something for myself and ended up saying forget it and going and writing Daddy to have him find something for me. This one _has_ to be meant for you, the owner wouldn't mess up like that."

"But it's the _wrong_ dress Luna," Ginny snapped in irritation. "_That_ is a dress for a _princess_, _not_ a silent _priestess_."

"Well," Luna nodded more to herself, "Again I say maybe they changed their minds though... unlikely knowing your stubborn brother. So aren't you just the luckiest thing in the world that I happen to be attending the ball with someone and _he_ can escort you in since Merlin knows Harry, Hermione, and Ron will probably go in together, and I'll enter with poor Neville who didn't get a date... course that might have been different had he _tried_," she shook her head.

"Luna, are you _trying_ to get me killed?" groaned Ginny. "I _can't_ go in _tha__**t**_ dress."

"What will you go in? Your school uniform?" Luna countered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And how do you suggest I deal with Ron? It's not like I can avoid him or anything Luna, we live in the same house for Merlin's sake!" yelled Ginny as she climbed off the bed and started pacing the room.

"Come stay in my dorm tonight. Hell come stay in my dorm as long as you want, only have to deal with him when he manages to get you alone and since you know Neville and I are glad to make sure you're never alone..." Luna shrugged.

"Do you _promise_ not to leave me alone tonight? Not even for a _split_ second?" asked Ginny as she slid down the wall and curled into a ball as she sat on the floor.

"Not unless you _want_ me to leave you alone or have someone else to keep an eye out for Ron," Luna nodded, kneeling down next to her.

"Then you better help me get dressed since I'm not about to be the reason you miss this ball," Ginny sighed.

"Good," Luna clapped her hands together before rising and offering a hand to help Ginny up.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Luna I don't know if I can go through with this," Ginny moaned quietly a short while later as she stood staring at her reflection in the mirror. Looking back at her was a young woman dressed in a light satin blue ball gown that had silver satin swags on each hip and silver cap sleeves. She had on white satin gloves that came up to the midpoint of her upper arms. Her hair was pulled up into an elegant French twist and there was a blue satin headband nestled in her hair. Around her throat was a black velvet chocker.

"Gin you look amazing," Luna countered as she flitted around her, acting surprisingly like the Fairy she was dressed as, in a pale purple flowing gown with large white delicate wings and much to Ginny's confusion, an aquamarine teardrop in the centre of her forehead... how she even got the thing there was a mystery. Well that and the fact Luna had a sudden ethereal beauty that she didn't quite have before, if she didn't know better she'd think she was standing next to a Fairy. "Come on, stop worrying, we have Neville and my date ready and willing to protect. And who knows, maybe you'll even find a Prince who appreciates your Princess-ness."

"Thanks but I doubt it. How do we know that Ron's already left the tower?"

"We don't, but we have Neville no doubt waiting to see us at the door so..." Luna nodded towards the door. "I'll go peek," she winked before floating towards the door, opening it just enough to see Neville and no one else. "Hello Mr. Baggins," she grinned, "You never should have been allowed to read those books."

"They're great books," he shrugged, "Pretty Fairy, might I inquire as to the readiness of you and our dear friend who remains hidden behind the door?"

"Only if I can inquire as to the whereabouts of King Arthur and his court."

"Left already, they heard that Snape was in the Great Hall, part of the theme Dumbledore chose for the staff, he's dressed as the Sheriff of Nottingham and they had to go see, or so they claimed. Snape isn't particularly happy about it as you can imagine, especially with the fights between him and Lupin as Robin Hood that he can't get out of."

"Lupin is Robin Hood? Good God who's Little John?"

"Hagrid actually... Dumbledore convinced Trelawney to be the witch who's the Sheriff's private muggle-ized witch and she's following Snape around too making predictions. And I'm not quite sure if it's as scary as it could be, but McGonagall is Maid Marion, Dumbledore of course is King Richard..." Neville shook his head.

"Interesting..." Luna nodded before opening the door wider and looking over her shoulder, "Coast is clear; they went to go see the staff's production of Robin Hood it seems..."

"Excuse me?" asked Ginny in surprise.

"Uh, that for the staff part or the three leaving?" Luna frowned, confused.

"Okay I can't stand Trelawney as you both know but isn't that just asking for Snape to go all Death Eater on her?" squeaked Ginny.

"Would he really with Dumbledore around?" Luna shrugged.

"It's never stopped Ron," Ginny mumbled as she picked up her skirts and started towards the door.

"Well aren't you pretty as can be," Neville smiled, "But missing shoes... And unlike me and Luna, you can't claim hairy feet and Fairies going barefoot as a reason," he teased.

Ginny turned around grumbling and walked back over to her bed where she picked up the aforementioned shoes and walked back to the door. "Are you kidding me? I can't wear these. Have you even _looked_ them? They're made of _glass_!"

"And no doubt spelled to not break and to cushion and feel like you're walking on air," Luna pointed out.

"You're not going to let me get out of this are you?" sulked Ginny as she put the shoes on the floor in front of her, picking up her skirts a little higher so she could see what she was doing as she slipped her feet into the glass slippers.

"Nope, you are enjoying every possible second you can of this, you're Cinderella after all. And as your honorary Fairy Godmother, since I beat the crud out of your real one for being lazy, I'm making sure you do. And you can't argue, I've got the wings to prove it," Luna smirked as her wings batted back and forth a few times quite realistically.

"Those things manage to give you lift, I'm so demanding a pair," Neville teased.

"Who says you need wings to fly?"

"Cinderella my arse," Ginny grumbled as she walked past Neville. "At least she had a Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet and away from her wicked stepmother and stepsisters."

"Well you never know what you'll find under the light of the Dark Moon," Luna grinned

"Where are we meeting your 'date'?" asked Ginny as they reached the common room.

"Bottom of the stairs that lead to your common room. Look for the Elf."

Ginny made her way out of the portrait and over towards the staircase that led up towards Gryffindor Tower, collecting her skirts up as she reached the top so that she could see where she was placing her feet on the stairs. "_**You?**_" asked Ginny in shock when she caught sight of the waiting elf. He was dressed in dark blue fitted pants with a light blue tunic top with what looked to be silver swirls or stars on it but when she looked closer she noticed that they were a shiny lavender and sterling silver colour. His long black hair was loose down his back except for the two thin braids that framed his face, keeping it out of his eyes and allowing his pointed ears to show. He had a teardrop shaped topaz sitting in the middle of his forehead.

"Me," Blaise smiled up at her, "You look lovely milady."

"That's it, I'm not going," Ginny said as she turned around and started back up the stairs.

"Nope, you came this far you have to go the rest of the way. Besides, no one will think Blaise is with you when he's got a Fairy roaming around who is obviously with him. Give them five minutes of staring they'll be gossiping all night about the fact that either Blaise is finally cheating on his betrothed, or that shock of all shocks, I am his betrothed," Luna argued.

"Are the two of you _seriously_ trying to get me _killed_?" demanded Ginny. "First off _you_," she pointed at Luna, "get me into a dress that is _not_ the one I'm supposed to be wearing and secondly, I'm _not_ supposed to be seen with _him_," she indicated Blaise beside her, "_outside_ of my potions class. Ron is going to go apoplectic and this time he _will_ kill me. I _know_ he will."

"Ginny," Blaise began softly, "Your brother will have to get you away from one of us before he could get to you. And as much as I know he has no qualms about attacking Draco or I, he wouldn't attempt something that rash in front of the entire school, or more specifically the staff. Even his place as the best friend of the Boy Who Lived himself couldn't protect him if he attacked me unprovoked in front of the staff, and considering I highly doubt Luna intended to leave you alone tonight unless it was your choice, and I'll be with her all night..."

"Besides, you're staying with me tonight remember? And tomorrow night and the next and as many as needed and we'll just make sure you're never alone, it's not _that_ hard. We have every class together except for potions which you have with Blaise now basically so..." Luna trailed off with a shrug. "Trust us, we're not letting your idiot of a brother do something completely and utterly stupid or unprovoked or anything, and besides he hurts you, I'll go hunt down the Elves in the forest and ask them to take care of Ron."

"Alright…alright," Ginny sighed. "But none of you are to leave my side tonight."

"Like I said, not unless you want us to, or have someone else we equally trust to guard you from overzealous annoying siblings," Luna nodded.

"Shall we then?" Blaise asked curiously, "I hear tell Snape's harassment is quite the entertainment."

With a nod, Ginny took Blaise's arm and allowed him to lead her the rest of the way from Gryffindor Tower down to the Entrance Hall and towards the Great Hall where the ball was taking place.

As Ginny made her way into the Great Hall on Blaise's arm, she felt every eye in the room turn in her direction. Of all the eyes staring at her, there were two sets in particular that she could feel burning holes through her.

"Are you alright?" asked Blaise quietly in concern when he felt Ginny stumble slightly next to him. "Is it a curse?"

"No, I'm fine," Ginny reassured him, her voice just as quiet. "I just…" she trailed off as she began looking at the floor around her as if she was looking for something.

"Just what?" asked Blaise in confusion.

"I lost my shoe," Ginny giggled as she lifted her skirts and stuck her now bare foot out so Blaise could see it.

"Oh well in that case…" Blaise laughed as he helped Ginny look around for her missing shoe. "There it is," he said, pointing towards a spot on the floor midway between where they were standing and the doors leading to the Entrance Hall.

"Thanks," Ginny smiled as she turned and made her way towards where her shoe was lying on the floor. Just as she was about to pick it up, someone beat her to it.

"May I?" asked a voice as silver eyes met chocolate.

Ginny couldn't believe her eyes. Before her was the last person she expected to see, especially since he hadn't been seen at Hogwarts for almost two months now. Yet here he was, down on one knee before her, holding her shoe in his hand. He was wearing a pair of red, no her eyes were not playing tricks on her, the Slytherin Prince was _actually_ wearing red, pants that had gold braiding down the sides. The same gold braiding could be seen around the top of his red mandarin collar, along the epaulettes, on the red sash around his waist, outlining the cuffs on his ivory coloured coat that appeared to fall to mid-thigh and hanging across his chest. His long silvery-blond locks were pulled back in a braid that hung down his back and was tied off with a gold ribbon.

Ginny was too stunned by the image of the man before her to form a coherent response so she merely nodded, one hand going to rest on his shoulder for balance while the other lifted her skirts. A warm tingling sensation spread through her body when she felt him take a gentle hold of her ankle so he could slip her shoe back onto her foot.

After gently placing her foot back on the floor, he gracefully rose to his feet and without saying a word, took Ginny by the hand and led her out onto the dance floor.

"I…I don't…" Ginny began uncertainly as she heard music start, music that sounded an awful lot like a waltz.

"Don't think, just follow," he whispered in her ear before stepping back and sweeping Ginny into a waltz.

"Dance my Elven companion who everyone now suspects I'm engaged to?" Luna asked as she walked up at Blaise after they entered the Hall together, following Draco and Ginny. "Well they will when they get over the combined shock of Draco and Ginny, and you and I..."

"Certainly my dear," Blaise smiled down at her, taking her hand in his and leading her to the dance floor as they joined in a few feet from Draco and Ginny.

"You haven't talked about it you know," Luna raised her eyes to his as they danced. "How you are handling him and her..." she glanced at the two.

"That perhaps isn't a conversation for the here and now Luna," he countered quietly. "But, since I know that look considering you learned it at the hands of my cousin who taught it to me and I'm just as much a sucker for it as Draco is when River or I use it on him..." he smirked before sighing, "I know there's something greater going on here, and I have no doubt that what I saw that night, the three of us were there for a reason. She belongs with him, but more than that with us, I just don't know when exactly we'll reach that point, or if it will even be in this life."

"But?" she pressed, "I've been ordered to interrogate since said cousin can't," she grinned up at him.

"Figured as much," he grumbled before sighing, "But I won't deny I am jealous, to see the two of them together, I fear I may loose him, and her though I never truly had the chance to have her in my life."

Luna nodded before looking over at Ginny and Draco, "There are greater forces at work here than just you or I or even them. I fear that this could be the darkest time for our people, and for the people of our families who we no longer are a part of... History repeats itself, but if one stands up, a breaker to the winds that blow, it _can_ be changed," she looked back up at him suddenly, knowingly, "You _will_ have your happy ending Blaise; you, Draco, Gin... what she saw will not come to pass once more, I know it. River _wouldn't_ allow it after all," she added with a sudden smile.

"No, I suspect you're right, when River puts her mind to something, she's even more stubborn than Draco."

"Where do you think he learned it from," she teased before focusing back on Ginny and Draco, knowing Blaise did as well.

/-/This can't be right/-/ Ginny thought to herself as the waltz continued. /-/I shouldn't want him like I do. I shouldn't feel so safe in his arms. This is wrong. My vision the other day showed me I was wrong. It wasn't Blaise like I thought, it was Draco. Draco's the one that stabbed me. I loved him and he killed me. I loved them both and because of him we all paid with our lives. How can I trust him? How could I trust someone who would do that to the person they claimed to love?/-/

/-/_Listen to your heart, not your head my daughter. Listen to your soul and what your soul is telling you_/-/ said a voice inside Ginny's head.

As the music came to a close, Ginny found herself being pulled closer to her partner and found herself staring deeply into his silver eyes.

"Marry me?"

"What?" Ginny asked in surprise; that was the last thing she expected to come from his lips.

"Marry me," he repeated, one of his hands coming up to cup her cheek while the other continued to hold her close to him.

"But I…"

/-/_Trust him my daughter. He will protect you. If you do not, the vision you witnessed of the two of you in the classroom __will__ come to pass_/-/ the voice said in Ginny's mind.

"Protect me?" asked Ginny as she looked for reassurance in his gaze.

"Always," he promised.

"Then yes," Ginny said, only to find the distance between them closing as he leant down and placed his mouth on hers. The minute their lips met, Ginny felt herself falling into the kiss, her arms unconsciously wrapping around him as he pulled her as close as was physically possible given their current surroundings.

"Come," he said, breaking the kiss a few minutes later as he took her hand and quickly led Ginny out of the Great Hall and all the way up to the hallway leading to Gryffindor Tower. "We'll be gone for a few days at most so grab what you need and meet me in fifteen minutes in the classroom at the end of the hall," he said, pointing towards the classroom he meant. He leant in and gave her a quick kiss before pushing her gently towards the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Now go."

With a nod, Ginny quickly gave the Fat Lady the password and made her way into Gryffindor Tower and up to her dormitory. Knowing she didn't have a lot of time and given that she knew she wouldn't be able to manage her trunk, she grabbed her backpack and started throwing a few clothes into the bag. Without looking back, she exited the dormitory and made her way back through Gryffindor Tower as quickly as her dress would let her and stepped out into the hallway and set off in the direction of the classroom. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she mumbled quietly to herself as she walked down the corridor.

"I can't believe it either," snarled a voice from behind her seconds before she was pulled roughly into a dark room.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Where _is_ she?" grumbled Draco as he paced back and forth in the classroom he had told her to meet him in, only to stumble as pain seared through his body. "Bloody hell…Ginny," he cursed as more pain lanced through various parts of his body, causing him to stumble to his knees as he was going for the door. Knowing that he was in no condition to fight her brother given the pain he was currently inflicting on Ginny and subsequently him, Draco managed to crawl to the door and crack it open just enough so that the door still appeared closed but he would be able to hear when Ron made his way down the hall, which happened not that long after he had managed to get to the door.

He waited until he heard Ron's footsteps pass the door and fade in the distance before carefully climbing to his feet and stumbling down the hall until he found the room that Ron had pulled Ginny into. Entering the room, he was not surprised to find Ginny lying unconscious on the floor, he was starting to lose his own fight with consciousness but he knew that the only way to save her was to get her out of Hogwarts and back to Elin. Lying down next to Ginny, he carefully pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair as he activated the port key.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Damnú ar (Damn)," Blaise cursed as he watched Draco and Ginny disappear from the room right before his eyes before phasing from the room himself. He reappeared in the library at Suaimhneas, where the walls looked like tree trunks and the canopy of the trees formed the ceiling, allowing light to come through. The trees were oak and a few other similar varieties. In the areas between the trees books could be seen floating as if they were sitting on invisible shelves. Iron lanterns could be seen hanging from a number of the branches, which lit up at night, allowing the reader to be able to see the book in front of them. The floor both looked and felt like grass and the tables were large boulders. On one side of the room there was a large stone table and a few carved wooden chairs. There were a few recliners and chairs that were made with a wood base and covered in very plush dark emerald green velvet that people would sink into and not want to move from.

One such chair held the form of a surprised River who sat up to stare at him, "What in ríocht na bhflaitheas (What in the Kingdom of Heaven)..." she trailed off.

"Where is he?" demanded Blaise.

"He returned to Hogwarts," she offered as she rose. "The question is, why are you here?"

"He showed up for the ball, swept a certain redhead off her feet and then swept her out of the Great Hall. Next thing I know I find them both lying on the floor of a classroom seconds before they disappeared," Blaise said.

"Diancecht's blood," she growled as she started towards the door. "If he came here, they'd be in his and your room I imagine," she continued as he turned and caught up to her as they made their way to the other end of the house.

"He wouldn't take her to the Manor would he?" asked Blaise worriedly. "It looked like he portkeyed out. He didn't phase. He was too weak to phase with a companion."

"Which is why each and every one of you have a portkey that brings you here. And don't worry cousin mine, Draco would sooner go to Ifreann (Hell) than go to the Manor, especially with young Ginevra," she countered as they walked before stopping suddenly and looking at Blaise as they both felt the magick sweep past them, older magick than the magic used by today's society. "What have you done Deartháir (brother)," she whispered as she looked back towards where they were headed.

**gdgbgdgb**

As Ginny was slowly coming back to consciousness, she could feel someone holding her hand and gently rubbing her cheek. "Draco?" she asked quietly, her voice hoarse, as she opened her eyes to find a pair of silver eyes looking at her in concern from next to her on the bed.

"I'm here," Draco said as he brushed some of her hair off her face.

"It hurts," Ginny said, giving into her tears. "Oh Gods it hurts…"

"I know a chuisle mo chroí (pulse of my heart)," Draco said. "We can make it better but you have to trust me. Do you trust me?"

"Yes," Ginny replied, not breaking the eye contact she had with Draco.

"Good," he said as he removed his hand from her cheek. "I know it hurts but can you roll towards me?"

With a nod and a slight whimper Ginny rolled onto her right side so she was facing Draco who was now lying on his left side. Draco took a hold of Ginny's left hand and carefully placed it in his left, on top of the dagger that was now lying in his open palm. Once her hand was in his, he closed his fingers around her hand and held it tightly. "Ginny, look at me," he instructed when he noticed that her eyes had closed and her breathing was getting shallower. "Ginny," he called once more, placing his free hand on her cheek, causing her to open her eyes. "Hold on just a few more minutes okay? I just need you to stay with me for a few more minutes then everything will be fine."

When Ginny nodded, he removed his hand from her face and took a hold of the handle of the long, thin dagger that was resting between their hands. "Danu, I call upon you to bless this union. By your name we bind our magic, our blood and our souls for all eternity. As our blood becomes one, so shall we be," he recited in a language foreign even to his own mind as he slowly pulled the dagger out from between their clasped hands, allowing their blood to mingle together.

The figure in the corner watched in silence as the couple was slowly engulfed in a pale blue light, as first one and then the other fell into unconsciousness.

**gdgbgdgb**

The two raced down the hall after the initial shock of what they felt had passed, Blaise actually skidding into the wall as River reached the door first and opened it, stepping in before he followed.

"Dia (God)," Blaise swore when he caught sight of the people on the bed, making his way quickly over to where they lay, their left hands entwined with what appeared to be fibres of some sort.

"Blaise," River reached for him.

"Don't!"

Both stopped and looked to the side of the room as the woman stepped out of the shadows, pale blue wings fluttering with her agitation, making her hip-length blonde curls move slightly against the white material of her dress, blue eyes glaring at them. "Elin?" River asked surprised.

"They're dying," Blaise said. "We have to get them to the healers," he said making to move towards the bed once more.

"Blaise," River reached out and grabbed him this time, stopping him even as Elin stepped further from the shadows.

"You're wrong, if you separate them it _will_ kill them, give it time, for that which has been done to finish," she explained gently, glancing at River. "Llyweln's son has bonded himself to my daughter, using the Ancient magick."

"What?" demanded Blaise in shock.

River ignored him for the moment as she focused on the woman she had known since her first life. "How did he even know to use the Ancient magick? Even in the last life they never attempted it. Only I considered it..."

"I did what I must so that my daughter might live. So that they could be reunited, the circle complete," she answered after a moment.

"Will they live?" River pressed as she focused on the bed once more.

"Her injuries were more than any of you saw, she's been slowly dying for months. We'll know soon... I'm sorry Cúchulainn," Elin focused on Blaise once more.

"And if she dies does that mean Draco will die too?" demanded Blaise.

"I'm afraid so."

"I will not stand by and watch as he takes her once more," snapped Blaise as he struggled to free himself from River's hold.

"Blaise, stop," River hissed as she grabbed his other arm and turned him towards her. "There's nothing we can do now but wait. I know, I don't want to either but what choice do we have? We wait, and when they wake, if need be we'll take them to the Healers, if we have to we'll take them to the Lady Airmid herself."

Across the room Elin remained silent, for the most part focused on watching the two on the bed, glancing up though and catching River's eye when she mentioned one of the last of the Tuatha Dé Danaan. Even she herself did not know where the woman hid with the Spring of Life; even the King did not know where his former lover was...

"I can't lose him," Blaise said as he collapsed to the floor. "Not again, not like this."

"I know cousin," she whispered as she knelt down next to him. "We won't, the Gods owe us, and they won't take them both from us."

"How do we know that River? They did it in the past, why should now be any different?"

"How much do you remember?" she asked gently.

"What?" asked Blaise in confusion.

"Nevermind me," she smiled softly, reaching up to brush a bit of hair back. "In my past life, the one I never speak of, I knew Draco, knew you, _and_ knew Ginny though until last month I never knew she had been reborn as well. Together we did something that the Gods owe us for, and I don't mean just something mundane. I _saw_ within their halls, and I saw the look in their eyes, they _knew_ they owed us. Though words were never spoken that day, I made them _swear_, we would be together again. They will not have _finally_ reunited us only to break us apart once more."

"I pray to Dia (God) that you're right," Blaise said.

"You and I both," she admitted quietly.

"Why don't you go and do something to distract yourselves," Elin offered. "I'll watch over them and let you know when they begin their return to us."

"I think I'll go lay down, try and get some sleep," Blaise said as he pushed himself to his feet.

"The room you used when you were younger is free," River nodded as she rose as well.

Blaise nodded and made his way silently from the room.

"Well talk later," River glanced back at Elin.

"Of course. And you'll have to tell me about this having been to the Dagda's Hall," Elin raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't told my Áthair (Father) or Máthair (mother), don't expect me to tell even you Elin," she countered quietly as she started for the door. "A person is allowed to keep the secrets of their last moments of life, no matter how many lives they may have."

**gdgbgdgb**

"Where are we?" asked Draco curiously as he took in their surroundings. No longer were they in the guest bedroom at his aunt's house, instead they were in a rather different bedroom. This one was quite large and had a bed that was larger than the one he and Blaise shared, that was centred on one wall and was draped in the same gauzy-white fabric as hung from the large floor to ceiling windows that took up most of the walls in the room. There were three doors leading from the room, which he assumed, led to the hall, the closet and the bathroom.

"Do you not recognize this room at all," wondered Ginny curiously as she made her way over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it.

As Ginny walked past him, Draco took in her changed appearance. She was still slim, although her figure looked as though it had finally filled out. He had been surprised when he had held her at the ball for the first time in almost two months, just how thin and frail she had gotten. It was hard to tell from a distance but she looked to be a few inches taller as well. Her hair, which used to fall in fiery red waves to the base of her shoulder blades now hung straight down her back to her waist and was a light brown in colour. Flashing back to the night he had followed her out of the castle, he knew that her eyes would now be a warm amber colour, instead of the deep chocolate that they had been and her skin was now clear of the freckles that dotted it. Gone also was the blue ball gown she had been wearing, in its place she wore a long, deep-purple satin nightgown.

"Should I recognize it?" asked Draco as he made his way over to where Ginny was sitting on the bed.

"This it where it ended," Ginny said rather cryptically as she rose and walked towards one of the windows.

"Where what ended?" asked Draco in confusion.

"Did Blaise ever tell you that I kissed him the first night back at Hogwarts?" asked Ginny, her back still turned, ignoring Draco's question.

Not quite sure what her kissing Blaise had to do with where they were, he decided to play along in the hopes that eventually Ginny would answer his question. "Yes he did. He told me how he watched you sabotage a perfect sixth year potion and how he managed to get you out of the way before it exploded. He also told me how you fought him every step of the way until you finally said 'it's you' and kissed him, only to break the kiss moments later and then run from the room like the Dark Lord himself was after you."

"As I told Neville and Luna on the Express, whenever I forgot to take my potion over the summer, I always had the same dream. I was haunted by a pair of mystery lovers. When I said 'it's you' to Blaise, I had just realized that I was looking into the eyes of one of my dream lovers. It wasn't until a few days later that I realized that _you_ were the other," Ginny explained.

"The day you bolted from the Great Hall," Draco observed. "Blaise and I had shared a dream the night before where we were joined by a third person…"

"That person was me," Ginny said, still not looking at Draco. "It wasn't until you and Blaise walked into the Great Hall the next morning with your hair loose that I realized you were the second lover from my dreams."

"But that still doesn't explain this room," Draco pressed.

"I was wrong you know," Ginny said quietly.

"About what?" asked Draco trying to keep the frustration and annoyance from his voice.

"About what I saw when I kissed Blaise," Ginny said finally turning around to face Draco. "It wasn't him and it wasn't something that was about to happen. "It was you and it was something you had already done."

"Excuse me?" demanded Draco as he took a hold of Ginny by the arms.

"Open your mind Naoise," Ginny said as she gently placed one of her hands on the side of Draco's face up near his temple. "Open your mind and remember."

Before Draco could answer, he heard a door open and a duplicate version of Ginny walk into the room and begin to pace nervously.

"A number of weeks ago I was stupid enough to complete a potion without destroying it. I wanted to know what it was like to know I did it right and get the mark I know my work deserves. I knew Ron would be angry with me but I did it anyway. Unfortunately the consequences were far greater than I ever expected. I was only moments from death when Neville found me. But because of the condition they found me in, it was a number of days before I was conscious and able to take my medication so the walls in my mind, walls created by the medication, weakened enough for the full vision to come through. This vision," Ginny said, indicating the other version of herself that was still pacing the room. "When I first saw it, when I kissed Blaise, I saw it as it was happening to me, or rather her. When I saw it a few weeks ago, I saw it from this perspective, as that of an ineffectual bystander. I thought Blaise was the one to kill me because from her perspective, his were the eyes she looked up into after she felt the blow."

"I don't understand," commented Draco in confusion.

"Watch and remember Naoise," Ginny said as she stepped away from Draco and back over to the window, allowing the vision to play out before him.

Draco watched as the duplicate version of Ginny continued to pace nervously around the room, not hearing the door open behind her as his own twin walked into the room on silent feet and came up behind her wrapping his arm around her middle. He watched as his double whispered something in her ear as he slid what appeared to be a long thin dagger into her abdomen. As she looked down to see what he had done, another door opened and as she looked up in walked a double for his long time lover just as she collapsed to the floor. Draco watched in disbelief as his lover's look-alike fell to his knees next to the woman and shaking her before pulling the dagger from her abdomen and without warning threw it with deadly accuracy towards his own double, who fell to his knees. Before his double fell completely to the ground, he managed to crawl towards where his 'lover' was holding onto Ginny's double in his lap and plunged the dagger into his back moments before they both collapsed forward, covering 'Ginny's' body with their own as blood pooled across the floor.

"Dia (God)," Draco cursed quietly as the scene slowly faded before his eyes.

"Why?" asked Ginny quietly. "Why did you do it?"

"I thought you were leaving and taking Cúchulainn with you," Draco said, his eyes still on the spot where the three had been laying moments before.

"I would never do that Naoise, I loved you both, _equally_ and without reservation," Ginny said as she turned him to face her.

"Yet you always turned to him," Draco said, taking a hold of Ginny's arms once more.

The jealousy that flashed through Draco's eyes did not go unnoticed by Ginny. "Because there were times when you terrified me. I never knew what to expect from you, unlike Cúchulainn who I could turn to and not be afraid of upsetting him."

"Méabh said that…and with you always turning to Cúchulainn and given the fact that he was the one who brought you into the relationship, I thought the two of you were leaving me…that you were taking my lover away from me and I couldn't…"

"I had no plans of ever leaving you, either of you," Ginny said.

"You were so nervous just then," Draco said referring to the vision they had just witnessed.

"Because I had something to tell the both of you and I was scared about how the two of you would react. My God Naoise, we were going to attempt to seal the Unseelie within the Crystal Lake in a few days time and I was pregnant!" Ginny cried, pushing Draco away from her and walking back towards the window.

"What?" asked Draco in shock.

"I was pregnant," Ginny said quietly turning to face him. "And don't tell me it was impossible because I was too young because it happened. I had just learned the truth and was trying to figure out how to tell the both of you the news knowing what it was we were facing."

"That doesn't mean you and Cúchulainn weren't planning on leaving me," Draco snapped angrily.

"It does if the child was _yours_," snapped Ginny just as angrily.

"We were both your lovers, there was not a night that went by when the two of us didn't have you," Draco countered.

"That's not true Naoise and you know it. There were times when either one of you were off somewhere scouting or doing something and I was left alone with the other. In fact a number of weeks before this incident happened; I shared my bed with you alone because Cúchulainn was off scouting for what we had planned. It was then that our child was conceived. The child I carried, the one you murdered inside of me was yours," Ginny said wiping away her tears.

"Dia (God)," Draco cursed quietly as he fell to his knees in front of Ginny, his hands going to her hips as he looked into her tear filled amber eyes. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"I already have Naoise," Ginny said running her hand through Draco's hair, brushing it away from his face. "When I had the full vision, there was a voice that accompanied it. A voice that I recognized from this life. It was my mother and she was telling me that I could trust you. That you had made a grievous mistake and you had paid the ultimate price, along with Cúchulainn, Méabh and myself. When I hesitated in answering you in the Great Hall, it was her voice I heard; telling me to trust you or else my other vision would come true."

"Other vision?" asked Draco still in his position on the floor in front of Ginny.

"First divination class of the year I had a vision…"

"The migraine," Draco said knowingly.

"What?" It was Ginny's turn to be confused.

"Whenever something happened to you I felt it. Whenever Ron beat you, I had injuries that mirrored yours and I felt the same pain that you felt," Draco explained. "It's part of why I disappeared so suddenly after Ron cursed you in Hogsmeade. I needed to find a way to save you but in order to do that I needed a way to block the bond that somehow formed between us allowing me to share in your pain."

"I am so sorry. I never…"

"Shh," Draco said, rising from his knees and placing a finger on Ginny's lips to stem any further arguments from her. "It's over now, Ron cannot hurt you. What was this vision you saw?" he asked taking his finger away from her mouth.

"I walked into a classroom to find a woman lying on the floor, with a man not that far away from her. They were both dead. When I saw you in the Great Hall earlier I realized that the two people were you and me. The voice told me that if I didn't trust you, we would both be dead before the night was through."

"We almost were," Draco told her as he took his turn brushing her hair behind her ear. "But I got us out of there in time and managed to perform the ritual before it was too late. You're safe now Ginny. Ron can never hurt you again," he said as he leant in and captured her lips with his.

As the kiss deepened, he slowly manipulated Ginny until she was standing next to the bed. Ever so gently he brushed the straps of her nightgown off her shoulders, allowing it to pool at her feet on the floor. Picking her up, he laid her down on the bed, climbing up after her as he removed the silk pyjama pants he had been wearing before laying down next to her so that their bodies were lying flush with each other as he began kissing her once more.

**gdgbgdgb**

As Ginny slowly started to come too, she was surprised and rather shocked to feel someone moving on top of her, inside of her. "Get off me," she ordered as she tried to push the person off of her. "Stop! Get off!" she cried as she finally managed to shove the person off of her.

"What in Dia's (God's) name is wrong with you?" snapped Draco angrily.

"_Malfoy_?" demanded Ginny in confusion as she sat up, wrapping the bedsheet around herself before dropping her head into her hands.

"Oh so it's back to Malfoy now is it?" Draco sneered as he took a hold of Ginny's shoulder, trying to force her to turn around.

"Don't touch me," Ginny snapped as she practically jumped away from Draco's hand on her shoulder.

"You don't want me to touch you, fine," Draco snarled as he grabbed his discarded pants off the floor and stormed from the room, leaving Ginny alone in a strange room with no idea of how she got there or where she was.

Draco stormed off down the hallway, not quite sure where he was going, just knowing he had to get as far away from Ginny as he could so he didn't follow through on his current desire of doing as his former self did and killing the witch. Knowing he couldn't return to his own room, since the self same witch was in there, he made his way towards Blaise's old room. As he stepped through the door, the fact that Blaise should not even be present in the house never crossed his mind as he made his way over to the bed and slipped into it behind Blaise, wrapping his arm around his midsection and pulling him close.

The door opening brought Blaise out from the deepest recesses of sleep, but it was an arm around his waist and the familiar body against his back that truly woke him up. "Draco?" he asked the darkness, not sure if he wanted to turn around and find out he was imagining things.

"Don't," Draco said as he felt Blaise roll over in his arms, kissing first his shoulder and then moving across his chest.

"Don't..." he trailed off confused, as he reached up with trembling hands to touch Draco's hair, wanting so badly to believe that this was real and Draco was here and not dying down the hall with Ginny.

"Don't talk," Draco said as he leant across Blaise's chest and pinned him to the bed before leaning down and capturing his lips in a kiss. "Just feel. I just need to feel," he said breaking the kiss momentarily

"I'm here a rún (my dear)," Blaise whispered, rising to capture Draco's lips as his hands began to roam the familiar skin.

"Make love to me mo chroí (my heart)," Draco pleaded, ignoring the pain that shot through his body at every touch they shared. /-/Help me to forget. I just want to forget my mistake. It was a mistake. _She_ was a mistake./-/

"As you wish mo ghrá (my love)," Blaise nodded before gently rolling them and rising up so he could trace Draco's torso with hands and fingers, lips and tongue following the paths he created.

**gdgbgdgb**

"You don't want me to touch you, fine," Draco snarled as he grabbed his discarded pants off the floor and stormed from the room, leaving Ginny alone in a strange room with no idea of how she got there or where she was.

"What in Merlin's name is going on?" whispered Ginny, desperation and confusion colouring her voice as she dropped her head back into her hands.

/-/_Don't_/-/ came a distinctly male voice in her head seconds before she gasped in surprise as a seemingly sourceless pain shot through her body. The intensity of the pain was quite minor in comparison to the severity of the pain that Ron liked to inflict upon her but it was certainly strong enough to catch her attention. /-/_Don't talk…Just feel. I just need to feel_/-/ she heard the voice say before another, slightly stronger pain flashed through her body.

Snippets of a conversation that she couldn't quite remember having with Draco flashed through her mind, causing some pieces to slowly start falling into place. "He felt my pain," Ginny whispered, as more pain raced through her body. /-/_Make love to me mo chroí (my heart). Help me to forget. I just want to forget my mistake. It was a mistake. She was a mistake._/-/

As the words echoed in her mind, Ginny couldn't hold back the sob that escaped as she finally placed the voice. Regardless of anything Neville, Luna or even Blaise had ever told her to the contrary, Draco really couldn't care less about her. Her mother and brother were right. Draco agreed with them. She was a mistake.

With that in mind and ignoring the now constant pain in her body, Ginny pulled the dress that she had been wearing earlier towards her and fished her wand out of the pocket that was hidden within the folds of the skirts to conceal it and quickly transfigured the sheet she had wrapped around herself into a dressing gown. As she went to tap her wand on the claddagh ring on her left middle finger, she noticed that there was now a thin platinum band nestled around her left ring finger. She let out a sob as she realized what both the ring and the constant pain signified. Pushing the thought from her mind as Draco's words echoed through her mind about what a mistake she was, she quickly tapped her wand on her claddagh ring and activated the permanent portkey for the first time.

A few seconds later the portkey deposited Ginny in the darkened living room of her twin bothers' apartment. Not wanting to turn on a light, Ginny tried to make her way through the apartment to the spare bedroom that the twins had told her was hers anytime she wanted it. Unfortunately the room was too dark to navigate easily and she soon walked into what she guessed was an end table when she heard what she assumed was a lamp crashing to the floor.

"Bloody hell," Ginny cursed, hoping that she didn't just wake up her brothers. They were not always the most pleasant of people if they were woken up in the middle of the night.

"Death Eaters!"

"Unseelie!" the two voices argued as they stumbled out of two doors into the hall.

"Lumos," George continued as they stopped at the entrance of the doorway from the living room.

"Who..." Fred glanced at George before focusing on her. "Alright, who are you and how'd you get in here?" he demanded, wand still at the ready.

"What?" asked Ginny in confusion. "Fred, George, it's me Ginny."

"Uh... you don't look like Ginny..." Fred countered looking between her and George. "She's not Ginger? Is she?"

"Doesn't look like Gin but..." George trailed off.

"But... Gin's got red hair and dark brown eyes, and she's got brown hair and light brown eyes... And she's _taller_," he accused, pointing at Ginny.

"So we just get River here, she can help explain things."

"Thought River was still with Draco..."

"Well, then they'll both come," George shrugged.

/-/Damn it/-/ Ginny cursed to herself. The last thing she wanted was to see Draco right now, especially since she could still feel the same pain as before and hear his thoughts. "No!" Ginny said. "I'll leave," she said backing away from the two wizards who still had their wands drawn and trained on her.

"You don't have to go," George lowered his wand, catching sight of the ring on her hand, "Gin... Fred put that thing down!"

"But it could be an Unseelie, or a Death Eater... or worse, the Order has figured us out!"

"Stop jumping to conclusions you idiot!"

"No…no I'll…I'll go," Ginny said as she continued to back away as Fred's wand remained trained on her. "I'm sorry," she said as she reached the door, opening it and running from the room and out onto the High Street of Hogsmeade in the direction of Hogwarts Castle.

"Imbecile," George snapped at Fred before going to contact River.

"What?" Fred looked after him as he lowered his wand finally.

**gdgbgdgb**

Ginny ran from her brothers' apartment above their shop all the way up to the castle and didn't stop running until she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, quickly giving her the password after waking her up, and making her way into the Gryffindor common room. As much as she wanted to collapse on one of the couches by the fire, Ginny knew that there was one thing she needed to do first. As she made her way towards the stairs that led to the boys dormitories, she quickly cast a glamour charm on herself changing her hair back to the flame red of Ginny Weasley and her eyes to their normal chocolate brown colour.

As quietly as she could she made her way up to the seventh year boys dorm and snuck in, creeping over to Ron's bed and carefully opening his nightstand, hoping he wouldn't be smart enough to put her medication in a more less obvious location. Easing the drawer open, she let out a sigh of relief when she noticed the tray full of vials of her medication. Grabbing two, she pulled the stoppers out and downed both potions at once, grimacing at the taste as she felt the familiar walls in her mind start to rebuild, shutting off her side of the mental connection that seemed to have developed between her and Draco.

"Ginny?" called a voice quietly from behind her, causing her to spin towards the sound. "Is that you?"

"Harry?" replied Ginny in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" asked Harry as he sat up.

"Oh…I…uh…forgot to take my potion so I…"

"Did Malfoy do that to you?" Harry asked in concern when he took in Ginny's rather frazzled and dirty appearance.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"Gin, you disappeared from the Ball with that git Malfoy and nobody could find either one of you all evening and now you show up here and you look like you've been through hell. You're pale as a sheet, your eyes are puffy and bloodshot, you're trembling, you're not wearing the same clothes as earlier, not to mention the bottom of your robe is covered in mud and torn to pieces and your feet, which are bare, are all bloody and bruised."

"Oh God Harry, it was horrible," Ginny cried as she collapsed in on herself.

"Oh Ginny," Harry said as he climbed out of bed and walked over to where she was curled on the floor. "Come here," he said as he helped her to feet and led her over to his bed. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked in concern as he closed the hangings of his bed and placed a silencing charm on them.

"Not really," Ginny said, still not completely sure of everything that had happened herself since she couldn't remember much past when Blaise had escorted her into the Great Hall.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked worriedly.

"Make love to me…please," Ginny asked her voice quiet.

"Gin…"

"Harry please," she pleaded. "I…I feel so alone right now…"

Without another word Harry reached out and took a gentle hold of Ginny's neck as he slowly leaned into her, their lips touching in what started out as a rather chaste kiss. As the kiss deepened, the pain Ginny felt earlier began to course through her body once more and increased as the kiss progressed but she didn't care. At least she was feeling something.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Meán Fómhair A hone, 800,199,783 ID – (Saturday November 1st, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
><strong>**Blaise's Old Room  
><strong>**Suaimhneas  
><strong>**4:24 a.m. – (12:00:17 a.m. – Mortal Realm)**

**gdgbgdgb**

Draco had fallen asleep wrapped in Blaise's arms, despite the dull throbbing pain that had been tormenting him during their lovemaking. He was woken from a dead sleep as a searing pain shot through his body. As the pain lanced through him, he sat bolt upright in bed only to collapse forward as the pain continued.

"Draco?" Blaise asked as he woke up, sitting up and reaching out to touch his back when he saw him. "What is it?"

"Pain, unspeakable pain," Draco ground out through gritted teeth, his head in his hands.

"Should I get River?" he asked softly.

"I'm gonna kill her as soon as I can see straight again," Draco grumbled as he collapsed backwards back onto the bed.

"Kill who?"

"Who do you think, _Weasley_ of course," Draco snarled. "What in Dia's (God's) name is she doing _this_time?"

"Draco..." Blaise frowned. "What happened? What brought you here? Not that I'm complaining of course, merely confused. The last I saw of you, you were dying after binding yourself to Ginny..."

"Don't remind me," Draco groaned snidely.

"Draco... talk to me, what's going on?"

"I'm in pain Blaise," Draco ground out. "Even a blind man could figure that out," he sneered, hissing as the pain suddenly spiked.

"That's not what I meant, I meant about whatever happened that brought you here..."

"Does it matter?" snarled Draco. "I'm here, where I belong."

"And yet I could have sworn you belonged not only to Blaise but to Ginevra as well," River's voice growled from somewhere in the darkness before she stepped out into a shaft of moonlight. "I've half a mind to kill you, the Gods and Goddesses know I nearly couldn't keep Elin from killing you."

"Leave me alone River," Draco countered angrily. "This doesn't concern you."

"_Bastún_ (bastard)," she snapped. "I have lived _countless_ lives with the guilt over your deaths; that I sent you to her that night. Not twelve hours hence I was by Blaise's side as we both saw you near death and heard what you had done. You _bound_ yourself to her Draco, mind, body, soul, _you_ said the words, there is no way she could have known them. _Hours_ after you're _here_ in bed with Blaise which while _not_ surprising really makes me wonder if you _even_ realize what it is that you have done. _Ginny_ was last seen running from Fred and George's house."

"I pray she gets eaten by one of Hagrid's horrid pets that he keeps in the Forbidden Forest," Draco replied, his left arm covering his eyes. "At least then we'll both be out of our misery."

"Draco, shut up and listen very, _very_ carefully to me," River hissed. "I haven't slept since learning you used the Ancient Magick to bind yourself to her, researching everything I could. You didn't just bind yourself to her, you hear her thoughts and she hears _yours_. If you are with someone else, it brings both you _and_ her pain. Now I don't know exactly what happened when you woke, but I'm taking a guess whatever it was, your temper got the best of you. The girl has never had any knowledge of the Fey, probably still doesn't know anything save for what her memory is coming up with. She is out there somewhere, hearing everything you are saying right now, everything you are saying about her. You need to grow up, stop being the man you were when you _killed_ her in your last life. You two are bound to each other for this life, and anything to come once you have died, so I would _suggest_ making things right while you can."

"And _how_ would you suggest I go about doing that since she could barely stand the thought of me touching her. _She_ pushed me away, not the other way around River. She was _disgusted_ by the thought of being with me, I could see it in her eyes and it came across _quite_ clearly in her disdain filled voice when she called me by my _last_ name."

"Wait…they're soul bonded?" demanded Blaise. "Soul bonded hasn't even been considered for centuries. Draco do you have any idea what you've done?"

"Don't you start on me too," snapped Draco in irritation.

"Draco, one of the reasons soul bonds haven't been used for centuries is because they come with a fidelity charm incorporated into them. She felt everything we did last night, only it wasn't like it was in the dream, she didn't feel my touching you as a caress, she felt it as pain," Blaise said.

"Exactly," River nodded at Blaise, "And as for you my darling loved one," she focused on Draco, "Have you not processed the fact that she doesn't know _anything_? She woke I assume to find you with her and still in so many ways _only_ knows you as the enemy of her family in this life who her brother would _kill_her for being with? How would you react if say you woke to find yourself in bed with young Miss Parkinson who I've heard so much complaint about from both you and Blaise?"

"You still haven't told me exactly what it is you expect me to do," Draco sighed. "Besides, I don't think the bond worked like it was supposed to."

"Why's that?" she asked with a sigh of her own.

"Because the only person I can hear up here," Draco said, lifting his arm off his eyes and pointing to his head, "is me."

River looked over at Blaise before realization hit, "The potion, she's at the school or the Burrow..."


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone,**

**Nutmeg44 - glad you enjoyed your present. Here's part 2 of it.**

**lilabennet - give the story a chance and you'll be rewarded in the end.**

**Hope everyone has a great weekend! Enjoy!**

**Cindy a.k.a. Jamie**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**gdgbgdgb**

**Saturday November 1****st****, 1997  
><strong>**Seventh Year Boys Dormitory  
><strong>**Gryffindor Tower  
><strong>**Hogwarts Castle  
><strong>**8:13 a.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

/-/Neville do this, Neville do that, Neville go wake up Harry because he's late for breakfast and I can't do it because of Quidditch... What am I, a bloody butler.../-/ Neville grumbled as he made his way up into the room and towards Harry's bed. "Harry, wake up! You're late," he spoke as he pulled the curtain open before stopping. /-/I'll be a Redcap's uncle... River called it, she did come back to the school.../-/

Ginny groaned as the light hit her eyes causing her to turn her head and bury her face into Harry's chest as his arm came around her shoulders and pulled her closer, neither one waking from their slumber.

"For the love of everything..." he groaned. "Wake up!" he yelled

"What the hell Nev," groaned Harry in annoyance as he opened his eyes to glare at his housemate.

"Ron sent me, Quidditch starts in thirty minutes."

"They can play without me," Harry mumbled as he rolled onto his side and pulled Ginny as close as possible, feeling her snuggle down in his arms as her arm wrapped around his waist.

"They can't, seeing as the only backup Seeker we've ever had is also unavailable," he glanced at Ginny's head.

"Go," mumbled Ginny into Harry's chest.

"I'd rather stay here with you. I don't want to leave you alone," Harry replied.

"I'll be fine," Ginny said into his chest once more. "But I won't be if I'm the reason Gryffindor loses, Ron will see to that."

"Fine," Harry sighed as he pulled away from Ginny, who rolled over and turned her back on Neville as Harry climbed out of bed, gathered his Quidditch robes and headed towards the bathroom.

"Morning Gin," Neville made his way over to sit on his bed.

"Go away," Ginny ordered.

"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed have we?" Neville teased lightly. "Seriously though, we've been worried about you..."

"Leave me alone," Ginny said.

"Gin..." Neville sighed, before making a quick decision. "Luna and I are here if you need us okay?"

"Leave her alone Neville," Harry said from where he was leaning up against the doorframe before pushing off and walking over to where Ginny was still laying in his bed, picking up one of his school robes as he went. "Come on Gin," he said as he crouched down in front of her, bringing the robe around her shoulders as she sat up and helping her get her arms into it. "No don't stand up, I'll carry you," he said when she went to try to stand.

"Not the Hospital Wing," Ginny said fearfully.

"No not the hospital wing," Harry said as he picked her up, making sure her feet were covered by the robe so that Neville couldn't see them.

"See you later Gin," Neville spoke gently before looking at Harry and nodding, then leaving the room quickly, sensing the definite vibes of 'get lost' going on. Besides he had a letter to write... and a certain blonde Ravenclaw to find and figure out a way to tell her that Ginny had very obviously been with Harry the night before... Thank God he hadn't found anyone to love yet in this life, too much hassle.

"Come on Gin, let's get you to the Prefects Bathroom," Harry said after Neville had finally left. "I've sent Dobby to Grimmauld Place to get a healing salve for your feet. Winky offered to get you some clothes from your dormitory and leave them for you in the bathroom," he told her as he carried her through the castle and into the Prefects Bathroom, where they found Winky and Dobby waiting for them next to the water filled bathtub. Ignoring the fact that he was fully dressed, he stepped down onto the first step of the tub before placing Ginny down carefully on her feet. "I had them put some healing bubbles into the water for you."

"Thank you," Ginny said quietly.

"You're welcome. Now spend as much time here as you want. I only want to see you at the match if you feel up to it alright?" Harry instructed, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"I promise," Ginny said, leaning up and kissing him gently on the lips. "Now go. You're already late as it is and now your pants and boots are wet."

"Ah but that's what this is for," Harry grinned as he stepped out of the tub and drew his wand, quickly casting a drying spell on his clothes as Dobby produced his Firebolt. "Thanks," Harry said taking his broom from the elf and making his way over to the window.

"Good luck," Ginny said as she watched Harry climb out the window and hop on his broom, blowing him a kiss as he took off, before turning and sinking into the water before removing his robe from her body, allowing the water to work its magic on her body.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Saturday November 1****st****, 1997  
><strong>**Quidditch Pitch  
><strong>**Hogwarts Castle  
><strong>**11:43 a.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

As Ginny neared the Quidditch pitch she heard the unmistakable roar of the Gryffindors that signalled that Harry had just caught the snitch. The Gryffindor team was landing just as she stepped through the door leading from the Gryffindor change room out onto the pitch. She made her way over to where the team was gathered around Harry, careful of where people where putting their feet as they all came pouring out onto the field to congratulate Harry on the win. When she finally reached the team at the centre of the pitch, she found herself standing behind Harry so she tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to turn around.

"Congratulations," she smiled.

"Thanks," he said, returning her smile with one of his own before taking a hold of her head and kissing her, his hands quickly moving from her face to her waist as he pulled her closer and lifting her off her feet, never once breaking the kiss.

"Look at that!" someone yelled near them, Neville glanced in the direction of the voice before looking back at Luna next to him, then following her line of sight to see what she was looking at.

"You okay?" he asked softly when he caught sight of Harry and Ginny.

"You warned me," she offered after a moment before sighing and tearing her eyes away from the two, looking back at him. "We should go get that letter off to River."

"Probably," he nodded before taking her arm in his as they moved down the steps. "I'm seriously starting to think we should just take River up on her offer of saying skip Mortal Realm and just go live in the Immortal Realm. Too much hassle..."

"I'm going to laugh when you finally fall in love with someone in the Mortal Realm and have to change your mind on that sentiment... Just no doing what I did and fall for the bloody boy that lives," she smiled sadly before forcefully brightening. "Come on, we have a letter to write and an interrogation to be made when we get our hands on a certain pair of Slytherins."

"I pity the blonde," Neville chuckled; knowing she would likely take any hurt and anger she was feeling out on him instead of Ginny.

"Harry!" Ginny shrieked before breaking out in a fit of giggles as she suddenly found herself on Harry's back as he started carrying her piggy back style as the team headed back towards the castle and on to the much anticipated victory celebration. "I am completely capable of walking you know," she giggled as they drew level with Neville and Luna.

"I know, but I'm not taking any chances," Harry told her. "Especially not after last night and besides, this way you can't get away from me and I can have you all to myself for our own victory party."

"Harry!" Ginny cried in surprise. "I can't believe you just said that," she said as she buried her face in his neck in embarrassment.

"Hey, I seem to recall a rather rude awakening this morning by a certain housemate of ours," Harry countered. "Would you rather it had been Ron that found us?"

"You realize he'd probably do a dance of joy if he did," Ginny said as she lifted her face from his neck and rested her chin on his shoulder, her hands wrapping around his neck and resting on his chest.

"Do you love me Harry?" Ginny asked quietly, not paying attention to the fact that they were still walking next to Neville and Luna.

"Always," Harry replied as he took one of her hands in his and laid a kiss on the underside of her wrist.

"You won't hurt me will you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Never. You're my life Gin. I would never intentionally do anything to hurt you," Harry reassured her, giving her hand gentle squeeze.

The two had moved ahead of them when Neville looked down at Luna, "I think she got hurt somehow, he wouldn't let me see her today and now he's not letting her walk..."

"She's got a ring on her hand," Luna countered quietly.

"I don't imagine he does..." Neville frowned.

"Need to get a hold of River, _now_."

**gdgbgdgb**

**Saturday November 1st, 1997  
><strong>**Room of Requirement  
><strong>**Hogwarts Castle  
><strong>**6:27 p.m.**

**gdgbgdgb**

"Now that's my idea of a victory party," Harry said as he nuzzled Ginny's neck.

"Mmm…definitely," Ginny agreed sleepily as she rolled over in Harry's arms so that she was facing him, her arms wrapping around his back and pulling herself as close into his body as she could as she started trailing kisses along his jawbone, ignoring the pain that was starting to creep through her body once more at their intimate actions.

"Oh God Gin, what are you doing to me," Harry groaned as he rolled them over so that he was now lying on top of Ginny, kissing her soundly.

"Harry…mmm…don't stop…" Ginny moaned, completely ignoring the ever increasing pain that she was feeling, and pushing away the nagging thoughts of what her actions were doing to Draco. His words had hurt her deeply, had broken something inside of her. Deep down she knew she was just using Harry, using him to help her forget everything that she had hoped might be with Draco and Blaise, but she didn't care. She was done rebelling against what her family wanted for her and she would accept their decisions without question. They had chosen Harry for her and she was going to do as they expected and entwine her life with his.

"H... Harry P.. Potter, Sir..."

Harry groaned as his head hit the pillow next to Ginny's in frustration. "Not now Dobby," he ordered.

"I'm s...sorry Harry P... Potter, but the H... Headmaster sent m... me."

"I'm a little busy Dobby," snapped Harry.

"N... not for y...you Harry Potter S... sir," Dobby continued, managing to curl even more in on himself as he faced away from the bed.

"Then why?" questioned Harry.

"H... Headmaster sent Dobby for G... Ginny Weasley, Harry P... Potter Sir."

"Me?" asked Ginny in surprise as Harry lifted his head to look at her.

"W... wants to see you in his of...office."

"Thanks Dobby," Harry said, dismissing the house elf.

"H... Harry Potter Sir, can Dobby t... tell Headmaster to expect G... Ginny Weasley?"

"Yes Dobby. Tell Professor Dumbledore that we'll be there shortly," Harry told the elf, not taking his eyes off the woman beneath him.

"H... Harry Potter S... sir, Headmaster only w... wants to see Ginny W... Weasley."

"She's coming Dobby," Harry said in irritation. "But she'll come a lot faster if you weren't in the room."

"Y... yes Harry Potter Sir," Dobby answered quickly before disappearing.

"Why does the Headmaster want to see me?" asked Ginny worriedly after Dobby had finally left. "I haven't done anything…What reason could Dumbledore have for wanting to see me…I haven't done anything…"

"Shh…" Harry soothed as he took Ginny's face in his hands, propping himself on his elbows, forcing her to look at him. "It's alright Gin," he told her quietly as he kissed her lightly on the lips. "We'll go see Dumbledore and then we'll come back here and finish what we started. I promise," he said before kissing her once more.

"Stay with me? In Dumbledore's office I mean," Ginny asked; a note of fear along with pleading in her eyes.

"Of course," Harry said. "We should get dressed and up to Dumbledore's office that way we can get back here and finish what we started," he told her as he gave her teasing kisses before pushing off of her and climbing out the bed to search for their clothes.

Once they were both dressed and ready to go, Harry stood in front of Ginny and indicated for her to climb up on his back.

"Harry, I'm perfectly capable of walking," Ginny giggled.

"Gin, given the state your feet were in last night and the fact that you won't go to the Hospital Wing says differently," Harry told her as he looked at her over his shoulder. "Now come on," he said indicating for her hop up on his back once more. "Besides, it means we get to be close together while being fully clothed," he teased once she was settled on his back and they made their way out of the Room of Requirement and in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

Harry carried Ginny piggyback style all the way from the Room of Requirement to the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office, quickly giving the gargoyle the password; he stepped onto the revolving staircase. When they reached the top of the staircase, Harry stepped off.

"Care to knock Gin? I don't have a free hand at the moment," Harry said.

"And who's fault is that silly," Ginny giggled as she reached out and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Dumbledore called from the other side.

"Ready?" Harry asked looking at Ginny who had her head resting on his shoulder.

"No, not really but I don't really have a choice in the matter. The Headmaster summons me so I come," she sighed as she reached out and turned the door handle, giving the door a light push to open it as Harry stepped through the door.

"Ahh Miss Weasley, and Mr. Potter," Dumbledore glanced between them

"Professor Dumbledore," Harry greeted. "One Miss Ginny Weasley as per your request."

"Thank you Harry," Albus nodded, "Ginny, please have a seat."

"You can put me down now Harry," Ginny whispered in his ear.

"I know that silly," Harry said, rolling his eyes as he walked over to one of the chairs in front of Albus' desk and gently lowered Ginny to the ground, placing her carefully on her feet.

As soon as her feet touched the floor, Ginny tried to hide the hiss of pain that escaped her lips.

Hearing her hiss of pain, Harry turned around and crouched in front of Ginny, cupping her face with his hand. "Gin, I still think…"

"No Harry, I'm fine. Really, it was just…a bit of a sore spot that's all," Ginny said quietly.

"If you're sure…" Harry trailed off as he rested his forehead against Ginny's.

"I'm sure," Ginny said, as her hand came up to his cheek, her thumb caressing his cheekbone gently.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I believe dinner is being served Harry, and you did miss lunch..." Albus spoke softly.

"I promised Ginny I wouldn't leave her alone Professor," Harry said, standing up and turning to face Dumbledore.

"Ginny, this meeting requires that I have time alone with you," he focused on Ginny.

"It's okay Harry," Ginny said quietly, taking a hold of Harry's hand.

When he felt Ginny's hand on his, he turned his head to look at her. "Are you sure?" he asked in concern noting the nervousness in her eyes and feeling the slight trembling in her hand.

"I'm sure," Ginny smiled nervously. "Besides it's Professor Dumbledore right? Who can hurt me with him around?"

"I'll be waiting for you at the gargoyle," Harry said quietly as he leant down and kissed Ginny lightly on the lips.

"Okay," Ginny replied as she watched him turn and leave the office.

"How are you Ginny?" Albus asked after a moment, sliding the familiar bowl of lemon drops forward.

"I'm fine Professor," Ginny said as she reached forward and took a lemon drop.

"That's good to hear," he smiled. "There's someone I would like you to meet."

"Someone you want me to meet Sir?" Ginny asked, trying to keep the fear and uncertainty from her voice.

"Yes," he nodded as he rose and moved to the other door. "Ginny, I'd like you to meet Elin," he spoke as he opened the door, revealing a woman with pale curly blonde hair to her hips, blue eyes and pale blue wings like a butterfly's, delicate yet beautiful. She was dressed in an all white gown, and must have been about five-eight in height.

"Hello," Elin smiled.

/-/I know that voice/-/ Ginny thought to herself as she took in the woman's appearance. "I know you…I don't know how but…I know you."

"Yes, you do," she nodded before glancing at Albus.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll be just in here if you need me..." he pointed at the room Elin had come from, waiting a moment to see if Ginny would be okay with it.

Ginny looked between the pair. Part of her knowing the woman before her was no threat to her but not wanting Albus to leave her alone with her at the same time.

"I assure you, you'll be safe with me a stóirín (my little treasure), " Elin spoke gently.

"It was you," Ginny said when she realized she recognized the woman's voice as being that of the voice from her head.

"Yes little one," Elin nodded before looking at Albus, "Will you be alright if it's just the two of us?"

Ginny nodded, dropping her gaze to her hands.

"If you need me, do not hesitate," Albus smiled at Ginny before moving past Elin.

"I'm taking a guess you have a great many questions," Elin began as she took the seat next to Ginny.

"Why did you tell me I could trust him?" snapped Ginny angrily pushing herself out of the chair without thinking about the consequences. Once her full weight hit her feet, she hissed in pain and fell forwards onto her hands and knees. "Damn it," she cried quietly as tears started falling down her cheeks.

Elin knelt down next to her, sliding an arm around her waist, "Come on my love, let's get you back in the chair and I'll explain..."

As much as she wanted to fight against her, Ginny found herself complying with the other woman and allowing her to help her back up into the chair.

"May I?" Elin asked softly as she nodded towards Ginny's feet.

Ginny slowly leaned forward and carefully removed her shoes and socks, hissing in pain as the air hit the cuts that still littered her bruised feet. Sitting back she refused to lift her gaze away from her hands.

"Oh my darling girl," Elin murmured sadly, "I was never as gifted in the arts of healing as Airmid, as much as your Deirfiúir (sister), but let's see what I can do alright?"

Ginny nodded with a quiet sniffle as she tried to rein her tears in, wiping them off her cheeks angrily.

Elin quietly gathered the supplies she had with a thought, and gently began to work on Ginny's feet, healing the cuts and bruises and casting pain-numbing spells until they were healed. While she worked she began to speak softly. "I know now you believe that I lied to you. But you can trust him my little one. And I know that also sounds like a horribly untrue statement with all he has done, in the hours past, and in the life you lived before..."

"He hates me," Ginny said quietly.

"No, if he hated you, he wouldn't be so angry," Elin countered softly as she looked up. "If you hate someone, truly hate them, then you have no feelings in regard to them. They are simply someone you couldn't even have the energy to care for; they simply don't exist to you. He's hurting, doesn't understand what's going on and is taking it out on you. Similar I think, to how you're hurting him in return for his hurting you," she continued softly, no reprimand to her tone.

"Fine, he doesn't hate me, he just thinks of me as a mistake. A horrible, terrible mistake that he wants to forget about," Ginny said, the hurt she had felt at hearing those thoughts of his coming through in her voice. "He's no different than my family. It's just one more person who thinks I was a mistake…I just didn't think it would hurt so much coming from him seeing as how our families have hated one another for centuries and he's done nothing but torment me for the past five years."

"It hurts because you love him," Elin countered quietly.

"That doesn't matter," Ginny whispered.

"Sweet girl, it means _everything_," she argued softly.

"No it _doesn't_," snapped Ginny in anger. "Because what _I_ want _doesn't_ matter."

"And what is it that _you_ want?" she pressed as she carefully rose, her work finished as all the injuries to Ginny's feet were healed.

"I…" Ginny's tirade trailed off rather suddenly.

"You?" Elin asked curious as she sat back down.

"It doesn't matter. It's not important," Ginny said quietly, keeping her eyes downcast.

"You matter, what you want _is_ important."

"No, it's not," Ginny countered as she rose from the chair and walked over to where Fawkes was sitting on his perch. "It's not about what I want. It's about what's expected."

"Expected by who?" she asked after a moment.

"My mother, my brother, the rest of my family, the whole bloody wizarding world at large," Ginny said as she stroked Fawkes.

"A stórín (my little treasure), you don't answer to the Wizarding World."

"No, but I _do_ answer to my family and I've learned the hard way that it's easier to just do as they tell me to."

"They're not your _only_ family, and you don't answer to those that would deny who you are," Elin argued gently.

"I'm a nobody and a mistake," Ginny shrugged as if this was an accepted fact in her life.

"_No_, you're _not_. You are somebody _very_ important, to a great _many_ people. A daughter, a sister, a soulmate. You may not remember, but there are _dozens_ of people who love you, who miss you, and _hundreds_ that are no longer among us but knew you, loved you, were there when we mourned your passing..."

"When Naoise killed me…"

"Yes, he did," Elin agreed sadly. "Naoise's temper was always his greatest weakness, one carried to this life. It cost him the three people most important to him, the two that he loved more than all others..." she trailed off before sighing and continuing quietly, "Cost me the one most precious to me in everything the Ancient One has given to us, and the grandchild I never had a chance to know..."

"Then why him? Why would you tell me I could trust him? He's killed me once what's to say he wouldn't do it again? Why choose him? Why not Cúchulainn?" demanded Ginny turning around to face Elin. "Cúchulainn would never have treated me the way Naoise did."

"I did what I did to change the past," Elin began carefully choosing her words. "Everything that happened before was because of his fear of you leaving him and taking Cúchulainn with you. If you chose him first, I thought he wouldn't be afraid you'd take Cúchulainn and leave. Beyond that, if nothing else, he could protect you from that creature who calls himself your brother better, he was always the better fighter, and had much more at his disposal in this life than Cúchulainn."

"Then why am I such a horrible mistake that he needs to forget about me?" demanded Ginny as she tried to hold back her tears with not a lot of success, swiping at the few tears that did escape. "I was confused and scared and he threw me aside like I was nothing and went running off to Cúchulainn asking him to help make him forget his mistake. If I remember correctly his words were 'Make love to me mo chroí (my heart). Help me to forget. I just want to forget my mistake. It was a mistake. _She_ was a mistake'. Am I _that_ horrible a person?"

"No my darling girl," Elin whispered as she moved to her side and carefully pulled her close, "He was hurt and angry, when you woke you didn't remember everything that had happened while you slept. He did though, and when you acted as you did, perfectly understandable and acceptable mind you, he reacted badly. It was no reflection on you, simply a misunderstanding that just completely fell out of control..."

"I was so confused, I still am actually, but when I heard what he said…it hurt so much I didn't know what to do so I ran and then the twins…"

"Fredrick is a bit paranoid since learning of the heritage you share with them. Not just Death Eaters to worry about but Unseelie... And you looked different, looked more like the daughter I last saw so very many years ago, he didn't recognize you and wasn't listening to young George..." she explained softly. "From what Méabh said, George yelled at Fred a good bit once he finished contacting us to tell us they had seen you and Méabh convinced him to not go out searching the countryside for you, in case you returned to their home."

"They had their wands drawn and pointed right at me. I thought they were going to kill me so I ran, I ran all the way back up to the castle and to the tower. It was the only place I knew I'd be safe. I decided then that I would do whatever I had to in order to keep Ron happy but I knew I had to block Naoise somehow so I snuck into my brother's dormitory and took two doses of my medication. That's when Harry found me."

"I know a stórín (my little treasure), and he has taken good care of you..."

"I don't know what to do Máthair (mother). My soul is crying out for Naoise and Cúchulainn both and yet Naosie hurt me so much and Harry, he's been so good to me and yet a part of me keeps telling me it's wrong somehow, that he's meant for another…"

"That's because he is," Elin countered gently. "You were meant for Naoise and Cúchulainn; it is as it always has been. But Méabh herself would be the first to tell you, though you are meant to be with one person, or two in your case, it does not mean you cannot be with another and be happy. She had lived a good many lives since she and all of us lost you, and has never once seen he who was the other half of her, like Naoise and Cúchulainn are the other parts of you. She has happily lived each life with the men she has chosen and they have given her happiness, but I know that the void left by he who was and is her Anamchara (soulmate) was never truly filled, even in this life. You must decide for yourself what it is to be, but have all the information and knowledge before making such a decision my child."

"We shared a dream once…" Ginny trailed off, a light blush flushing her cheeks as she remembered.

"You used to do that in the last life as well," Elin smiled. "I believe that's part of what led Cúchulainn to realize you belonged with them. Of course it wasn't until you lost _**him**_ that he finally took the steps to make things as they were meant to be."

"Everything felt so…_right_ in this dream. I know deep down that we, the three of us that is, belong together despite the fact that I find the idea of having two lovers a little…_daunting_. I feel safe with Harry, but it's not the same way I felt in the dream…"

"Follow your heart a stórín (my little treasure.)..."

"But what my heart wants is not acceptable."

"What does your heart want?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes, honestly," Elin chuckled lightly. "Don't you know you're not supposed to lie to your Máthair (mother)?" she teased.

"I've spent the past five years lying to everyone around me," Ginny admitted quietly. "As much as it frightens me, I want them…_both_ of them."

"And why is it not acceptable? They're your anamchara (soulmate), you only get so many, and even of those that you get, only one or two are the great loves of your being."

"A woman's not supposed to love two men at the same time and she's definitely not supposed to be involved with them at the same time, especially not share a bed with the two men together."

"Says who?"

"Mum, Hermione, Fleur…"

"I see, and what do they say about a man loving two women at the same time?"

"Not acceptable even though that's most men's fantasy. I know Ron would love to have that happen," Ginny shrugged. "But it's more than that. I'm a Weasley and they're a Malfoy and a Zabini…"

"A stórín (my little treasure), you are _not_ merely defined by this life you were born into," Elin argued softly. "You are a Sídhe, the daughter of the Great King Llyweln. They are Sídhe, the son of Llyweln and the son of Lachtain the Wright. The confines put upon you by the Mortals _do not_ apply."

"I'm a what?" asked Ginny in confusion.

"A Sídhe, a Fey," Elin explained softly. "This Wizarding World doesn't teach of them, the majority of the Mortal World doesn't like to think of us since they betrayed us so very long ago. Before Man was created, the Ancient One created the Gods and Goddesses, and then created the Fey, Daoine Sídhe we were called by the Gods and Goddesses at first, it means People of Peace. As time went on we were simply known as Sídhe. You've heard of Banshees and Elves, they are both members of the Sídhe, though we call Banshees by their real names, Bean Sídhe. Fairy Folk is another name attributed to us, some are like you and I, look very much like the mortal humans, we have wings or we don't. Dwarves, Goblins, they are also Fey... And I'm probably doing a horrible job explaining things... It was never my strong point, why Cáit Ríona always did..." Elin sighed.

"Is that why my family treats me as they do? Because I'm one of you?"

"Molly Weasley is the only one who knows I believe; it's why she has given you the potion. But I'm afraid that it wasn't simply because of your heritage. My understanding is, she never wanted another child after Ron, and when you inherited the Fey heritage that her father possessed but she did not... She was determined to block it in you since she couldn't block it in Fredrick and George, having no idea to look for it when they came of age and came into their inheritance."

"That's why the dreams broke through whenever I had forgotten to take the potion," noted Ginny. "I thought it was because of the incident in my first year. I mean that's what Ron is always telling me, to stop me turning dark. Is that why my appearance changed the other night?"

"Yes, you're Fey appearance came through without the potion. When the White Lady released your soul to be reborn, the Goddess, Aíne of Knockaine who is our protector realized that finally she had released not _only_ Méabh's soul as she had done so many times, but Naoise's, Cúchulainn's, _and_ yours. Naoise and Cúchulainn had already been reborn into family lines that traced back to Naoise's brother Alasdir and Cúchulainn's sister Gráinne. _Both_ were reborn with the same physical appearance they had before, as was Méabh, save for her different hair colour. _That_ was the one concession made throughout her lives by the White Lady to ensure she would be safe, the different hair colour," Elin began. "The White Lady had already picked the family to which you would be reborn, one that traced back to my Deirfiúir (sister) and to your Áthair (Father), so Aíne could not argue that. _But_ she knew if you had your true appearance like the others it might alert the Unseelie to your return and _could_ cause a great many problems _and_ dangers for you, for Naoise, Cúchulainn, and Méabh. So she made sure that _until_ you came into your heritage, you would look like the family to which you were being born _instead_ of like you did before as you _should_ have upon your return to us."

"Oh," Ginny said, dropping her head into her hands.

"I know a stórín (my little treasure), it's a lot to learn," Elin murmured softly. "If you would like I can leave you be for now, I brought one of the books from the library that gives a basic history and explanation of our people, you can read and learn, remember, on your own terms. And I have an offer from Méabh; there is much that you need to learn once more, time needed to deal with everything. She would offer you a place at her home, a space to call your own and learn in peace, with her or on your own. And time. Time moves different in the Immortal Realm than the Mortal Realm, a year here is one hundred for us so you could take all the time you need and not pass an exceptional amount of time in this world. Her home as well resides within both the Mortal and Immortal Realm so you could stay on either side... But whatever you want to do, it is your life my darling girl, you get to decide whatever you wish to do with it."

"If I'm going to learn any of what you speak of Máthair (mother) then I need to do it somewhere that isn't here. If Ron were to find out about any of this…"

"You need not worry about him again my sweet girl," Elin countered softly. "To be honest, the final decision will be yours whether it happens or not, but he technically should be brought before the Inner Court, to be punished for his treatment of you. It is forbidden that any should harm a Sídhe, most especially one who is the child of the King or one of the original twelve members of the Court..."

"They can make it stop? I wouldn't have to hide anymore?"

"Yes love, you don't have to hide anymore if you don't want to. And once you have learned to control your gifts, you don't have to live in fear of Ron anyway, you will have the strength to escape him, or fight back if that is your desire."

"Then I want to learn. I don't want to spend the rest of my life afraid but I can't do that here, not yet. Would Méabh keep me safe?"

"Méabh would protect you until the end of time," Elin smiled, "If you wish, before we go I can contact her. At the moment Naoise and Cúchulainn are still there, she's kept them there much to Naoise's annoyance at least so they wouldn't come find you until you are ready to see them again..."

"I'll have to face them sooner or later, especially Naoise and I'd rather do that someplace a little less public than Hogwarts. But I would like a space that is my own, someplace where I can let people in if I want to or just be by myself. I've never really had that and I think if I'm going to come to terms with everything than I need the ability to just be on my own if I want."

Elin nodded, "Well, Méabh's home has more than enough space for that. And the magic around her home responds to her like the magic around a building responds to no other save perhaps the Lady of Erskine. She's had far too many lives to build and work on Suaimhneas (Serenity – River's home)..."

"Is that where I woke up the other night?" asked Ginny.

"Yes, Naoise took you there when he found you after Ron had attacked you that night."

"I wondered about that. I don't remember much of what happened after entering the Great Hall with Cúchulainn other than waking up in bed with Naoise. But given how Ron's temper towards me has been getting worse since school started…You were right. He would kill me if he could…"

"I'm afraid so a stórín (my little treasure)," Elin nodded.

"And he can't reach me if I go with you right?"

"No, no one can find Suaimhneas (Serenity – River's home) unless they know where it is, and even then if somehow they manage to learn where it is, the barriers Méabh has around it keep any she doesn't give permission to from entering."

"Then that's where I want to be right now. Someplace safe where nobody can get to me because the minute I disappear my brother and my parents will be desperate to find me to make sure I haven't done something I'm not supposed to do," Ginny said.

"Alright, we can leave now if you like..."

"Can I leave a note for the Headmaster to give to Harry? I don't want to just up and leave without letting him know that I'm alright and I went willingly and for him not to worry."

"Of course," Elin nodded as she rose and found a piece of parchment. "Take your time, and we can send someone to gather anything you might want from your things."

"Thanks," Ginny said taking the parchment. "I don't have a lot of things to collect. Being the youngest and an unwanted child I never really got anything specifically for me if Mum could get away with using things of my brothers."

"Well, knowing Méabh you might have that changed," Elin smiled.

"The nicest thing I ever got was my dress for the ball," admitted Ginny as she folded up the parchment and wrote Harry's name on the outside.

"That one would be from Naoise actually..."

"I kinda figured that out when he showed up in the Great Hall out of the blue given the way he was dressed. He actually made me feel like Cinderella dancing with her prince for a little while."

"Give him and Cúchulainn time, you may feel like Cinderella for always," Elin smile.

"A girl can dream right?" Ginny asked holding the parchment out to Elin.

"Always," Elin agreed as she took it and made her way to the door to knock.

"Everything alright?" Albus asked as he opened the door.

"Perfectly so," Elin nodded as she held out the parchment, "For Mr. Potter, she's decided to come back to the Immortal Realm."

"Ahh," Albus nodded as he took the parchment before looking at Ginny. "Have a wonderful time Ginny. And good luck with your studies; you truly are a gifted young lady."

"Thank you Professor Dumbledore."

"You're welcome, and feel free to write or visit at any time. I'm sure someone will show you the Fey Room," he winked before making his way back into the room.

"Ready?" Elin asked.

"As I'll ever be," Ginny said.

"Relax, you'll be fine," she smiled as she held out her hand. "Hold tight alright? In a few weeks' time you'll be able to do this on your own..."

Ginny reached out and took Elin's offered hand, stepping a little closer to her.

After a moment, the room began to fade away and another room began to appear around them before it became solid, and Elin stepped back, "Welcome to Suaimhneas (Serenity – River's home), or the library to be exact," she smiled as she waved a hand around the room.

"Wow," Ginny said in shock as she took in her woodland surroundings.

"Yes, Méabh has managed to make her house look much like you're still amidst nature, more so than any of the buildings in Tír Na Nóg or Erskine Island," Elin chuckled. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving actually. I didn't get to eat anything last night and I missed both breakfast and lunch today," Ginny admitted sheepishly.

Elin clucked her tongue before shaking her head, "Come on then, I'm not sure if she's there, but at the least we can hunt down Méabh's cook if Méabh isn't having dinner," she smiled as she made her way towards the doorway, leading them down the hall towards the stairs.

As Ginny followed Elin she had to keep reminding herself to keep up as she had a tendency to stop and look around at her surroundings.

"Here we are," Elin announced as they reached a door before she opened it, revealing the dinning room that looked like you were suddenly in a small gathering of trees beside a lake. "The lake actually extends outside," Elin explained, there's a spell to keep the rain or other things that are unwanted from entering the room. If you want to wait here a moment I'll go find the cook since your Deirfiúir (sister) seems to be missing..."

"All right," Ginny agreed quietly.

"Relax a stórín (my little treasure)," Elin smiled, "You'll be safe here."

Ginny nodded and slowly walked over towards the lake.

A few minutes later, Elin returned followed by an older woman with grey hair pulled up in a bun, who had two plates of food as Elin carried two glasses. "Ginny, this is Rebecca, one of Méabh's staff."

"Nice to meet you Miss Ginny," Rebecca smiled. "To warn you, most of the staff, and there aren't many of us, usually refer to the Lady as Miss River. But we'll know you mean her if you call her Méabh like Lady Elin does," she explained as she set the plates down on the table.

"Thank you," Ginny said accepting the plate from Rebecca.

"You're quite welcome," she smiled once more, "Welcome to Serenity, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to find me," she continued before turning and heading from the room.

"Serenity is the English translation of the name Méabh gave this place," Elin explained as she sat down and handed a fork and knife to Ginny. "From what I found out, Méabh is attending the New Year Festivities in Tír Na Nóg, she took Naoise and Cúchulainn with her so we have the house to ourselves until midnight at the earliest since that's when the Feast usually ends."

"If Méabh isn't here, then where will I stay?" asked Ginny quietly as she tucked into the food on the plate in front of her.

"We can use one of the guest rooms in the wing that resides within the Mortal Realm until she can give you the full tour and you can pick a room of your own. And don't be surprised if she quite happily offers to let you completely redecorate the suite to your heart's content."

"I couldn't possibly…" Ginny said shaking her head. "I wouldn't even know where to begin and besides I don't have any money."

"Méabh will argue that one with you my dear one. And it isn't a question of money, not here, you'll learn quickly, things are in many ways the same between our two Realms, but in many ways we are quite different from those who reside in the Mortal Realm."

"In more than just appearances?" wondered Ginny.

"What do you mean?" Elin questioned, "Physical appearance or another form of appearance?"

"I don't know exactly," Ginny laughed before trying to stifle a yawn.

"Tired?" she smiled.

"A little. I didn't get much sleep last night and what little I did get was cut short when Neville woke me up this morning," Ginny admitted.

"Once you're done, we'll get you to a room then so you can rest."

"Okay," Ginny said as she continued to eat her dinner.

"Any other questions or want to wait for now until you've had some sleep?" Elin asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Sleep please," Ginny smiled, as she placed her knife and fork down carefully on her empty plate.

"Certainly," she nodded as she rose before offering her hand to Ginny to help her rise. Quickly she led them from the room and down another hall once more, stopping in front of a door that she opened. "Here we are," she let Ginny enter in front of her.

Inside was a bedroom that looked a good deal like the library, the grass like floor with trees for walls, the canopy ceiling, the colour scheme was purples and silvers this time, with light coloured wood and silver furniture. Two doors led off to the bathroom and closet on the far side of the room, and a large 'window' amidst the trees on one wall was looking out over the lake.

"Thank you," Ginny said. "Uhm is there something I could change into? I don't really want to sleep in what I'm wearing."

"Come on, let's check," she smiled before leading her towards one of the two doors, revealing a walk-in closet that while not full had a decent collection of clothing on hangers, and shelves filled with shoes for either sex and other accessories, Elin immediately headed towards the wardrobe. "There's sleeping gowns or shirts and shorts if you're more comfortable..." she looked up from a drawer, "Feel free," she continued as she stepped back.

"Thanks," Ginny said as she pulled out an oversized t-shirt and large pair of boxer shorts.

"Your welcome, I'll be out there," she pointed back towards the bedroom before making her way out to give Ginny privacy.

"Okay," Ginny said, closing the door behind Elin before quickly changing out of the oversized sweater she was wearing and the well-worn jeans and putting on the t-shirt and boxer shorts. Once she was changed she hesitantly made her way back out into the main room.

"If you need anything, ring this bell, Rebecca or I will come," Elin held up a bell before setting it on the table next to the bed. "There are more blankets in the top drawer of the wardrobe in the closet..."

"Thank you," Ginny said as she climbed into the bed and pulled the blankets up around her.

"Goodnight Ginny," Elin spoke as she headed towards the door.

"Goodnight Máthair (mother)," Ginny replied sleepily as her eyes drifted closed.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**gdgbgdgb**

"Máthair (mother)?"

"Good morning my sweet one," she smiled as Méabh came into the room. "Your brother is here."

"Naoise?" she grinned, eager to see her half-brother who had been gone for so long.

"He's in the library," she chuckled as Méabh turned and ran from the room, skidding to a halt as she reached the library.

"Nee?" she asked as she entered the room, looking around for the familiar blonde hair.

"That can't possibly be little Méabh…"

Spinning on her heels she launched herself at the voice, wrapping her arms around his neck as he swung her around, squealing as they turned. "Where have you been!" she demanded as she finally stepped back.

"In the Mortal Realm," he shrugged before reaching over to catch a red curl, "Look at you, you've grown up."

"I'm a hundred and twenty five, of course I have," she countered with a roll of her eyes.

"We're going to need to start keeping an eye on any men mo chroí (my heart)," Naoise looked over his shoulder.

"I'd say so a rún (my dear)," he agreed as he came out of the shadows. "You look lovely Méabh."

"Thank you Cúchulainn," she grinned at him. "Come on, you have to tell me all about your adventures."

"Relax Deirfiúir (sister), we'll tell you everything," Naoise laughed as she tried to pull him towards the door. "We have someone for you to meet first…"

"You do?" she stopped to look at him, then Cúchulainn, who nodded at something behind her.

Turning around she found another man, he was tall, like her brother and Cúchulainn, taller though, by more than a head, he towered over her own small frame. He had dark hair, like Cúchulainn, black hair to the middle of his back where her brother and his lover kept theirs to their waist. Brown eyes were watching her before he inclined his head, "Banphrionsa (princess)."

"Hello," she greeted.

"Méabh, this is Ailill, Ailill, my sister Méabh," Naoise introduced.

"A pleasure to meet you," he raised his eyes to her once more and smiled.

"You as well," she smiled, "Come on, you have to see the gardens and you can tell me everything. And you have to meet Deirdre later; she's at studies with her mother still…"

"Impatient aren't you?" Cúchulainn chuckled as they followed her from the library.

"I've been lonely and you evil people have been gone for twenty-five years."

"Sorry Deirfiúir (sister)," Naoise shrugged sheepishly.

"You weren't kidding when you said she had him wrapped around her little finger," Ailill whispered to Cúchulainn.

"Not a bit," he chuckled.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Méabh!"

Looking up at the sound of her name being called, Méabh smiled before looking at her mother. "Go," her mother smiled as she stepped back from where she had been working on twining the ribbons and flowers into Méabh's red mane.

With a smile, she lifted the skirt of her white gown and hurried from her mother's room, "Deirdre," she called as she entered the hall, and spotted her half-sister and closest friend a moment later as she came around the corner.

"Oh Méabh, you look lovely," Deirdre grinned as they walked towards each other before stopping when they met. "Oh!" she gave a little squeak before flinging her arms around her. "I can't believe you're participating in the Fires. Now I'm the only one who hasn't…"

"You will," she countered quickly as she stepped back. "Áthair (Father) will approve of you're attending soon I'm sure. After all he didn't let Naoise until his two-hundredth an Samhradh (summer), and it's just now my two-hundredth and twenty-fifth..."

"True, two more years then," Deirdre giggled.

"Exactly, and that gives you time to find someone who might catch your eye…" Méabh teased as she reached up and brushed a lock of Deirdre's light brown hair behind her ear.

"I'm quite content to see who the Gods and Goddesses choose for me that night," she countered quietly as they glanced around quickly. "How is Ailill?"

"I don't know," Méabh moaned, "Naoise and Cúchulainn took him to prepare for the Fires and I haven't seen him since last morn."

Deirdre chuckled at her obvious annoyance, "You know he'll be there waiting Deirfiúir (sister), so why worry? You two have been seeing each other in secret for twenty-five an Samhradh (summer) now, just because you haven't…" she trailed off with a shrug.

"Perhaps we shouldn't have promised to wait until my first Beltane," she sighed.

"Méabh!" Deirdre's eyebrows shot up, "That's… that's…"

"I know, I wouldn't change it though," Méabh giggled, "Come on, Máthair (mother) is waiting…" she grabbed Deirdre's hand and they ran down the hall laughing.

"What has you two so full of laughter?"

"It's Beltane," Méabh shrugged as she looked up at her mother.

"To be young," she smiled before taking both girls' hands and bringing them back into her chambers. "Come Deirdre, you can help; we have to paint the symbols."

The next hour was spent with Deirdre and her mother painting her hands and feet blue, the crescent moon upon her forehead and the full moon on her breast after she had taken off the white gown long enough so they could paint, finally her mother painted the dark moon above the patch of hair between her legs. Once the paint had dried, her dress was put on once more, and after managing to get her mother to stop playing with her hair, they made their way through the house to where the carriage waited to take them to Tír Na Nóg.

"Have fun," she smiled catching Deirdre's hand one more time before drifting towards the Fires while Deirdre went towards the castle and the Feast that waited. Spotting her brother and his lover, and her love by one of the bonfires she made her way towards them, and joining in with the other women as they danced around the fire, letting the night begin.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Happy New Year!" Méabh called as she and Deirdre made their way through the halls of Tír Na Nóg.

"Happy New Year Banphrionsas (princesses)," came the familiar response as the two shared a look and a giggle.

"You know, neither of you act like you are nearing your thousandth an Samhradh (summer)," Naoise teased as he came up behind them.

"And you act like you have seen yours?" she countered as she looked over her shoulder at him. "Besides, I have seventy-nine an Samhradh (summer) until I see my thousandth, and she's got two more once I've seen mine."

"What ever did you do Leannáin (lover)," Cúchulainn asked as he came up behind them, "It must have been something interesting for Méabh to stick her tongue out at you."

"He's saying we're acting childish," Deirdre explained with a smile.

"Isn't that Gráinne, Alasdir, and Séan's job?" Cúchulainn teased.

"Your Deirfiúir (sister) would be quite unhappy to hear you calling her childish considering she's already seen her seven-hundredth year, Alasdir as well, and Séan isn't that far behind."

"You know, anyone else foreseeing Gráinne ending up with one of those two?" Ailill mused.

"By the Gods and Goddesses no!" Cúchulainn stared at him aghast. "My Deirfiúir (sister) is not marrying my leannáin's (lover's) deartháir (brother), be it his full-blood deartháir (brother) or his half-blooded deartháir (brother)."

"But it would be sweet," Méabh grinned. "Alasdir is the same age as her; Ailill and I are the same age…"

"There a reason you didn't mention Séan, only your half-deartháir (brother) is good enough for her?" Naoise raised an eyebrow as they approached the castle doors.

"No, he's just younger than her," she shrugged, "Besides he already has feelings for someone."

"Who!" Deirdre and Naoise cried. "You have to tell us, as siblings it's our job to tease him unmercifully," Naoise continued with a decisive nod.

"And therein lies why I _won't_ tell you," Méabh laughed. "Come on, leave my poor deartháir (brother) alone. We have a new year to celebrate and Áthair (Father) will be upset if we aren't there for the rites."

"We're coming," Naoise shook his head as they followed her into the fading sunlight and towards where the bonfires were beginning.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Why?" Méabh demanded as the wind whipped around them as they stood at the edge of the Crystal Lake.

"I have to," Ailill countered with a sigh.

"That's not an explanation!" she argued, angrily wiping at tears. "After a thousand years you're going to leave everything we have?"

"He needs me…"

"Your Áthair (Father) is a traitor Ailill! He betrayed all of us when he left over nine hundred an Samhradh (summer) past."

"He's misguided…"

"That's not what you said when you decided to stay. My Áthair (Father) trusted you, he claimed you as one of his…" she reached up to brush her fingers over the white opal teardrop that matched and yet was the opposite of the black opal teardrop that lay upon his brow from her father's kiss when he was accepted as a son of the Seelie.

"I know mo shearc (my love)," he sighed once more. "But he _needs_ me."

"And I _don't_?" she whispered, not sure if he had even heard over the wind until she saw the pain fill his eyes.

"I'll come back…"

"No," she shook her head violently, "You leave, you go to him, and you'll be our enemy, _my_ enemy. There is no going back, I _won't_ betray my people!"

"I'm sorry," he whispered before walking towards her and she held her breath as he stopped next to her but didn't look down. "Tá mo chroí istigh ionat, go deo (my heart is within you, forever)."

She turned and watched him walk away before collapsing when she couldn't see him anymore, pulling her knees closer to her chest as she knelt on the ground, her forehead against the dirt as she sobbed.

"Méabh…" Deirdre whispered next to her some time later, how long she couldn't know. "I saw you here in my waters…" she explained as she knelt down and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her up.

"He's gone…" she whispered. "He's gone to Kieran…"

"Oh Deirfiúir (sister)," Deirdre whispered as she pulled her close, letting her cry. "I'm here, you're not alone," she breathed against Méabh's hair as she brushed it back, the wind howling around them as the rain came, and still they stayed while Méabh mourned the loss of her Anamchara (soulmate), before she had to go and mourn the loss of Ailill as nothing more than a cherished friend when the news was announced.

**gdgbgdgb**

"Come on," Méabh grinned as she pulled Deirdre through the bustle of Seelie who were there for the Lughnasadh Fires. "Cúchulainn is up next."

"Slow down," Deirdre giggled as they weaved around a group of Elves, Nódia spotted them and chased after.

"You realized the sword fighting is in progress I take it," the young Elven woman smiled.

"Alasdir tricked us," she rolled her eyes as they finally reached the gathering that was watching the competitors. When those gathered realized that two of the Princesses were there, they parted so the two could get to the front, Nódia with them, to watch the competition as Cúchulainn fought with one of the warriors.

"Come on," Deirdre whispered as they watched the battle, Méabh smiled and grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry, you know the only ones better with a sword are Naoise and…" she trailed off before glancing back at her and shrugging slightly. It had been forbidden to speak Ailill's name after his betrayal became known. And Nódia had been born the year he left so she knew nothing about the relationship Méabh had once had with him.

"You're right, he'll win here and Naoise will win with the bow," Deirdre grinned.

"And then you have a handfasting ceremony waiting for you with them," Méabh winked

"I still can't believe it…" she whispered.

"Dee, I love you dearly, but you don't start believing that they love you and are going to go through a handfasting with you tonight and a real wedding in a year after, the Gods and Goddesses willing, this war is over… I'm going to be forced to hit you over your head."

"Méabh!" Deirdre just glared at her before a cheer from the crowd drew their attention back to the fight, only to find Cúchulainn had removed his opponent's weapon and the fight was over. When he looked over, they waved and cheered, before Méabh quickly led her away so he couldn't talk to her, or give into the desire to more accurately.

By the time the sun was setting, Méabh had taken Deirdre back to the castle where both of their mothers were waiting, and the three set to work, dressing her in a white and silver gown, brushing her hair until it shone and placing a wreath of flowers upon her head before they made their way back towards the gathering, Deirdre's mother Elin on one side, Méabh on the other as the closest two female relatives. The majority of the handfastings had already been preformed for the day, the one uniting the Princess, Prince, and the grandson of Lugh himself, saved for last as the most important.

"Breathe," Méabh whispered in her sister's ear as they arrived at the edge of the gathering there to witness the ceremony, and they got their first sight of the two standing by the bonfire with their father and King who would perform the ceremony.

Making their way down the aisle, people tossed flower petals in the air over them as they walked over the path of wheat from the first shearing. When they reached the end, Cúchulainn stepped up to Méabh as Naoise stepped up to Deirdre's mother, asking for the blessing of her family, and with a smile Méabh gave hers before stepping back with Elin and they made their way to her mother's side to watch as the three were joined before the Gods and Goddesses.

**gdgbgdgb**

All over the grass-covered ground that surrounded the still lake, they fought. Hundreds of those she had known her entire life, other members of the Fey, the Seelie like herself, the elves with their ageless beauty, the ones who truly never aged beyond a certain point, unlike her kind that with time would show their years, true it would be hundreds of times more than the mortal men that fought among her brethren took to age, but they did. The dwarven lords were there, fighting alongside Seelie warriors, Healers, Seers, and the men who had led to this day when they were created. All fighting the same enemy, those who had once been a part of them, not men true, but they were still Fey, once called Seelie as well, before leaving to destroy the Men and starting the war that had brought them here today.

She could see as they fell here and there, amidst the trees that reached towards the skies, branches outstretched, begging the Gods and Goddesses, begging the Ancient One itself, to put a stop to the madness that had taken over the world. Was it really only four hundred years ago that they had all been at peace? She had lived happily at her Father's court with her brother, her best friend their love, and her's? It seemed so much longer now.

Across the lake, through the bright rays of light, her father fought with the man he had once considered a brother, though no blood connected them. Closer than brothers, now immortal enemies, all because Kieran could not accept the men the Ancient had created in its image, the ones they had been charged to watch over, even as the mortal humans, like insolent children, fought back, chafing at their restraints. Perhaps it had been the mortals who had started this, perhaps you could try and trace it back to the Ancient itself, and then perhaps the Elders were right, it was Kieran who stirred up trouble and led them to this day, refusing to wait and give the humans time to grow and understand their place in this world that they all shared.

She didn't know, she never had truly and now… now she simply didn't care. She had made an oath, to the Gods and Goddesses themselves that she would see this done. She had lost her love before the war really began, lost her anamcharas (soulmates) by her own hands, who had been by her side when the sun rose over the land three days prior, they who should have been there by her side as she did what they had sworn to do together. But they were gone, and she could blame no one but herself for their loss, and would do what she must, complete what they had sworn to do, though she knew the price would be her very existence. The magic was strong, but four could handle it easily, it was never meant for one, and yet here she was, alone when all was said and done…

Raising her eyes to the skies, she sent a prayer to the Gods and Goddesses, asked once more the blessing of her Grandmother, before taking the first step towards the lake. She saw Elin, off to one side, fighting with her former protégée, saw her father ahead fighting with Kieran, saw Nódia off to another side as she slid her blade through the neck of a Redcap as they had chosen to be called, the Brownies that had chosen the Unseelie. She took a step out onto the crystal clear surface of the lake, feeling the cool touch of the water on her bare feet as she continued to walk out onto its surface, sure steps, trusting the magic Nechtan had given to take her to the centre of the lake.

Raising her eyes when she reached the centre, she looked around briefly at those she loved, Nódia had stopped and watched her, hitting one Unseelie who tried to sneak up on her hard enough to knock it down, leave it lying on the ground by her feet though she never tore her gaze from her. Elin as well had stopped to stare, hand raised to shield her eyes from the sun's light while she held onto the opal pendant at her throat. Her father and Kieran were watching, swords still crossed even as they stared at her in surprise, awe perhaps… she could feel her father's confusion, sense his concern, feel in her very soul the awe yes, for that was what it was that pulled at her own, that she was there, standing upon the water itself like one of the Goddesses.

She saw him then, racing towards the edge of the lake, skidding to a stop as he stared, his eyes yelling what his voice could not. Tearing her eyes from his, she raised them to the heavens above, taking in a deep breath as she felt the magic sent by each of the Gods and Goddesses enter her body, eyes falling shut as she began to dance. She moved to a music she knew only she could hear, the fan an extension of herself as she swirled across the water, calling the souls of those who had gone before, making her request of the Ancient One. She felt when the water began to move, with the will of those who answered her call, swirling up and around, raising her as well as it grew, climbing towards the heavens in a column of water, swirled with the lights of the souls who had joined her, like some sort of dance of stars across a night's sky.

She saw the others, as she gripped the staff in both hands, pulling it across her lower body up towards her chest, then continuing the arc, pushing it away towards the sky, saw them as they were before, when they were all happy. Happier days they would never have again. She kicked, continued her dance as she repeated the motion, pulling the magic given by the souls towards herself, merging it with her own as she pushed her own magic through her body, offered it to the spell, offered her very life to the ancient magick she was invoking.

She twirled around on the pedestal the water gave her, before opening her eyes and seeing the Gods and Goddesses as they sat on their thrones in the hallowed halls, saw The Dagda's nod of approval, before reaching down to one last time pull the staff up along her body, and push it away, the last of her magic going with it, the grace given to her by the Ancient One, her immortal life, travelling with the magic as the spell was cast.

The Halls dropped away as she began to fall, the pillar of water collapsing from under her as the magick she cast shot out, seeking any who called themselves Unseelie and meant to do harm, pulling them under the clear waves even as she fell. Looking out as she fell back towards the world, back towards the lake that would be her final resting place, she looked out and saw him at the top of one of the tallest trees, she saw him saying her name but couldn't hear it, reached for him before pulling her hands back towards her chest and closing her eyes. In the next, perhaps they could find each other, if he could forgive her for trapping him beneath the water with those he had been forced to call his own by his father. She released one last breath of air, feeling familiar arms wrap around her before she felt the water envelope her, and let go.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Eanáir A sé, 800,199,783 ID – (Sunday November 2nd, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
><strong>**Ginny's Room  
><strong>**Suaimhneas  
><strong>**6:25 a.m. – (11:38 a.m. – Mortal Realm)**

**gdgbgdgb**

/-/What the hell…/-/ Ginny thought as she woke from her dream. Sitting up she ran her hands through her hair before looking up and seeing a woman sitting across the room on a chair she hadn't even seen the night before.

"Good morning little one," she rose and made her way across the room, floating on air almost as the airy fabric of her dark blue dress swirled around her legs. As she came closer, Ginny looked at the woman, she couldn't be beyond her mid-twenties, a bit more than five and a half feet in height with dark brown curls that fell around her face and down to her hips in a wild disarray, amber coloured eyes that quite literally seemed to glow watching Ginny intently, a small teardrop shaped stone rested in the middle of her forehead, an amethyst.

Around her neck was a fire opal pendant on a delicate gold chain that rested just below her chest; and a black cord around her neck that held an intricately carved piece of jade, what looked like a horse, a cat, and a wolf perhaps, that rested just a few inches above her waist. In each ear she had six piercings, evenly spaced from the lobe up and around the shell, a pair of silver chains that fell from the lowest one, a small amethyst dangling at the end. Continuing up her ear was a small white opal, perhaps the equivalent in size of a half-carat stone, then a pink opal, another white one, a blue opal, and finally one more white opal, all identical in size. The sheer number of gemstones continued when Ginny saw her hands; her left had four rings, her 'ring' finger a diamond surrounded in amethysts, her middle finger held a golden yellow topaz, pointer finger was a bloodstone with a Celtic knot ring on her thumb, all set in a silver metal. Her pinkie had a simple black vine pattern entwined in place of a ring, and on her wrist was a light green vine with small lavender flowers tattooed here and there. On her other hand were three rings, again all set in a silver metal: a peridot on her pointer finger, an aquamarine on her middle, and a black opal on her ring finger. Her thumb and pinkie fingers, like her left pinkie, had a tattoo instead of a ring, a silver lattice on her pinkie and surprisingly, a gold puzzle like design on her thumb. On her right wrist was a bracelet, cat's eye with a wolf's head engraved at its centre.

When she sat at the edge of the bed, pulling her bare feet up to rest on the mattress, Ginny was surprised to see what looked like shadows of paw prints on top of her left foot, following them like a path that led to an anklet of amber set in silver before they disappeared under her skirt, a wolf appeared suddenly from under her skirt and seemed to walk along her foot and look up at Ginny, a magical tattoo she knew, though considering the only one she had seen before was the set Draco and Blaise had... an actual moving and apparently aware wolf was surprising, even more than it actually looked three-dimensional, just walking on her foot. A moment later Ginny thought she caught sight of a black bird swooping down before disappearing up her leg somewhere under the fabric, while on her other foot a white Pegasus with black mane and tail appeared with a large black cat, both seemed to be regarding Ginny a moment before turning and disappearing back under the fabric of her skirt, leaving Ginny to focus for a moment on the gold and black Chinese character on the outside of her left ankle, visible as the woman wrapped her arms around her knees and the skirt raised a little bit, and an anklet of blue lace agate set in silver.

"What time is it?" asked Ginny quietly.

"In the Mortal Realm, which we're currently in, it is 11:38 in the morning on November 2nd," she answered, "My name is River, well it's a bit longer but I prefer to be called River in this life, save for those who knew me in my first life. Though you might remember me as something else, except I had red hair then..." she smiled softly.

"She's you," Ginny said. "You're Méabh."

"Yes," River nodded. "Though at the moment you're one of the very few who know that fact."

"I'm so confused," Ginny groaned as she collapsed back onto the bed, covering her eyes with her arm.

"I can imagine," River smiled gently. "Which is why I'm here to help you with your memories of the past that will reveal themselves, and to help you learn to use your gifts, and simply to be a friend if you want one."

"That would be nice," Ginny mumbled through her arm.

"Well, how about starting with breakfast, and then I can show you around, and we can see if there's another room that might fit you better, though you're more than welcome to stay in this one, to start with?"

"Yes please," Ginny said. "The potion!" she cried as she suddenly sat bolt upright in bed. "I need my medication…"

"Calm down," River spoke softly as she reached out to touch Ginny's arm, "I know you won't want to hear this, but the potion is what has been blocking your Fey side all this time. Which is why when you have forgotten it, your heritage comes out so strongly to the point that it probably confuses or scares the bloody hell out of you..."

"Would explain the dreams I guess," Ginny mumbled, blushing slightly in embarrassment as she thought about the dreams and what they contained. /-/Don't think about him/-/ she reprimanded herself sternly.

"You're a seer Ginevra, any dreams you have had may not necessarily have been dreams. They could have been memories or visions of the future, or even your mind connecting with those of the people who have a strong connection to you from your first life..."

"Of the ones I can remember, one showed what I thought was Cúchulainn killing me, which I later discovered was actually Naoise on the last day of our lives; one was of me and Naoise dead on the floor of a classroom and one was of Naoise, Cúchulainn and I…well…" Ginny trailed off as she blushed a deeper shade of scarlet, dropping her eyes to the bed in front of her as she played with the sheet.

River chuckled softly, "Those are the best kind, the ones that leave you not wanting to wake up," she winked. "As for the others, well one unfortunately did happen as we both know, and one was prevented when my nephew slash brother brought you here that night..."

"I wish he hadn't," Ginny said quietly, a note of hurt in her voice.

"Draco, or Naoise which he's not used to being called anymore though the Gods and Goddesses know I had to bite my tongue more than once, can be pretty much an idiot. He could in our first life too, I think that's why it took so long for him to realize he was in love with you then..." she shrugged. "I know he hurt you Ginevra, and I promise you won't have to see him until you're ready. But you have to remember one thing, whatever it was that sent you from here that night, whatever you very likely felt from him, he didn't mean and it's not true. He was being an idiot as mentioned he can be..."

"He wanted to forget about his mistake, his mistake being me and who can blame him, my parents have been trying for the past sixteen years to forget about the mistake that is me," Ginny said, turning her face away from River so the other woman wouldn't see her tears.

"Hey," River began as she reached out and gently tilted Ginny's head back towards her, "Your parents in this life were _wrong_. You're not a mistake; you're a _blessing_. I've waited over eight-hundred-thousand years to see you again... would I do that for a _mistake_?"

"Then why doesn't he want me?" Ginny sniffled. "All I've ever wanted is someone to want me…to love me. He promised to protect me…"

"Oh Dee," River whispered sadly, "He wants you very much, but he's terrified of loosing you, that you'll take your love away and take away Blaise as well. When you woke up that morning, you didn't remember what happened at first I think, you reacted like anyone who found themselves in the same bed as someone who was your 'family's mortal enemy' would and he just stuck his foot so far up his mouth he's still choking on it, by not realizing what was going on and responding badly."

"I didn't know what to do so I ran and I did what was expected of me. I knew that if I stopped rebelling that things would be easier for me. I did what Ron wanted and now I don't know what to do…"

"Now you get to say forget what everyone else wants me to do, I'm going to do what I want to do. Although unfortunately I'm going to be evil and tell you what to do in regards to certain things just long enough so you can learn to control your Fey side, but then you're completely on your own and can tell anyone who tells you what to do to go jump off the highest mountain they can find, even me if I get to be annoying in any way, shape, or form," River winked.

Ginny let out a slightly watery giggle. "I'd love to see Ron's face if I told him that. His face would probably match a tomato; at least it would until he…" she trailed of sobering quickly.

"Okay, let's go find something to eat," River began with a nod, "And then we'll do the tour, and you can relax and have a quiet day today, and tomorrow I'll start boring you with the history of our kind. And in however long it takes for you to learn everything and finally feel ready to head back to the Mortal Realm, then we'll go back, and you can tell Ronald that and if he tries anything after turning the colour of a tomato, which I'm sure Fredrick and George will want a picture of, you can use your wicked cool special Fairy powers as Nymph once put it on him and knock him on his annoying arse."

"I'd like to inflict the same amount of pain on him as he's inflicted on me in the past two months alone," Ginny grumbled as she threw the covers back off the bed.

"Well aren't you lucky, if you decide you really want to, you can," River smirked. "And hey I'll be there with you, my brother in this life is just as bad as Ronald," she rolled her eyes. "But happy thoughts yes? Other than happy thoughts of inflicting pain on annoying brothers."

"I should have just let the hat put me where it wanted to then maybe he never would have tried anything," Ginny mumbled to herself as she walked around the bed. "But yes, happy thoughts…I don't have any happy thoughts. I don't think I know what happy really is…"

"Then it's time we find it for you," River nodded as she rose. "Come on, I have someone I think you will like to meet. Have you ever seen a pegasus?"

"Only unicorns in Care of Magical Creatures, well actually that's not entirely true," Ginny said.

"Oh?"

"It's strange but I could swear there's this one unicorn that has been watching me from the forest since the start of term," Ginny said. "I think it was there that night that Naoise found me out on the lawn."

"Cosantóir," River smiled mostly to herself.

"Excuse me?" asked Ginny in confusion. "Oh should I be changing into something a little more…uh breakfasty?"

"Feel free to pick anything comfortable, or you can stay in that even, I'm not picky," River shrugged, "And Cosantóir is a unicorn I used to know..."

"Oh…I think I'll stay like this then," Ginny said as she pulled her hair over her shoulders so it was hanging down her front. "I don't know if I'm going to get used to this," she commented as she picked up a section of her hair that was a combination of Weasley red and light brown, the light brown being the more dominant colour.

"Well, you want down the road I suppose we could start casting spells to turn it red once a month," River offered as she headed towards the door. "I can relate though, I miss my red hair like you wouldn't believe. And after fifteen lives spent alternating between black, blonde, and brown... I'd kill to get it back..."

"The sad thing is I never cared for my red hair. I never felt comfortable in it," Ginny shrugged as she tossed it back over her shoulder.

"Makes sense," she smiled, "Give it time and you'll get used to the brown, or you can change it to any colour. Once you've learned to control your gifts you can choose how your appearance looks between the Mortal Realm and the Immortal Realm. This is my true appearance in the Immortal Realm, but in the Mortal I have two appearances, one is the one I was born with, look exactly like my birth family in this life, the other is how I choose to look to anyone who doesn't know me as a bloody Malfoy," she rolled her eyes, "Looks more like I do now, just I have these streaks and shorter hair and browner eyes. And I'm rambling aren't I?"

"Kinda," Ginny agreed.

"Occasionally I do that, I blame you actually," she glanced at Ginny and smiled. "Our past life, we acted like a pair of teenagers until we were in our thousands. Drove Naoise and Cúchulainn insane."

"I've never had that this life being surrounded by six brothers and everyone at Hogwarts pretty much avoided me after first year until the incident at the Ministry, then Neville and Luna came into the picture."

"Those two are one of a kind in many ways; they want to see you, when you're ready by the way."

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to look at Neville in the eye ever again," Ginny admitted.

"Why's that?" River looked back as they entered the dinning room.

"He didn't tell you how he found me then," Ginny commented, blushing.

"Nope, just sent a quick message to tell me that you were at Hogwarts and I let Elin know since she was back at Tír Na Nóg much to her annoyance since she would have preferred to be out looking for you but life intervened... and such."

"Oh…well let's just say when he found me he wasn't exactly looking for me and I really wasn't supposed to be where he found me," Ginny confessed, keeping her gaze down.

"Ahh," she nodded, "You were with the man who might give you peace.

"If it wasn't for this stupid bond," Ginny grumbled.

"Yes, the bonds done in the Ancient Magick are quite annoying if the bonded parties weren't exactly aware of the implications, or fully ready for it," River chuckled lightly, "Why I'm glad my former love and I never had a chance to perform the ceremony before he turned to the Unseelie," she continued with a shrug. "Good morning Rebecca."

"Good morning Miss River, morning Miss Ginny," Rebecca smiled as she entered the room, "I come for breakfast requests."

"Oh…uh…I don't know…I never really seem able to eat breakfast…" Ginny shrugged.

"Well, any requests for lunch type food?" Rebecca countered with a smile.

"If there's anything you like, very likely Rebecca can make it, she's a genius when it comes to food," River added.

"I usually just eat whatever's put on the table in front of me really. I'm usually too busy worrying about…about Ron to really pay attention to what I'm eating."

"Well, then it seems to me I get to figure out what your favourite foods are along with you," Rebecca announced, "Do you like sweet things? Or not a big person on sweet? Or simply no idea?"

"Chocolate is my downfall but other than that I really don't pay attention to what I'm eating," Ginny shrugged.

"Well I have an idea then," Rebecca grinned before looking at River, "And for you Miss River?"

"Whatever you're doing for Ginevra," she smiled.

"Certainly, it will be ready shortly," she nodded before disappearing.

"That reminds me, would you prefer I call you something besides Ginevra? I'm making an assumption you might not like me calling you Deirdre or Dee."

"Everyone pretty much just calls me Ginny and for some reason Harry's taken to calling me Gin lately."

"I believe that's what Neville and Luna call you, and your brothers call you Ginger," she smiled. "Would you prefer Ginny? Or something else? Just because it's what everyone calls you, doesn't mean it's a name you like... And I'd rather use a name you like."

"Ginny's fine."

"Of course Ginny."

"Ron can't find me here right?" asked Ginny worriedly.

"No Ginny," River shook her head, "Ron doesn't even know that our world exists, and even if he did, my home is unplottable to any wizarding magic, and even to Fey magic. If by some miracle he managed to find it, there are extensive wards, more than even Hogwarts has, that allow only the people I want into my home. We could be doing double axels in hell before he gets here."

"Double axels?" asked Ginny in confusion.

"Muggle sport, ice skating, it's a type of jump they do. Quite fun actually... I've dragged Naoise and Cúchulainn out enough when we were growing up that they can stay up on skates, and Cúchulainn can even do a few jumps, Naoise refused to, he loved to annoy me."

"Somehow that does not surprise me," Ginny smirked. "What about my brothers?"

"Fredrick and George are the only ones I know; the others didn't inherit the Heritage. I've gotten them on the ice occasionally, but neither have attempted to learn jumps. Fredrick loves to try and sneak up on you so you loose your balance, drives Naoise nuts I tell you, George usually skates with me when he does skate. I think they're plotting a new line for the shop that involves ice skates and such... Quite scary actually," she giggled.

"Are they mad at me?" asked Ginny curiously.

"George and Fredrick?" River asked surprised.

"Yeah," Ginny shrugged. "I didn't…I mean I…"

"Ginny," she began quickly, "No, they're not angry. Worried, and George was quite a bit upset with Fredrick for being his usual over-reacting self when it comes to Unseelie and such. Dealing with Death Eaters is one thing, but they have nothing on the Unseelie we deal with... But no, they're not mad at you and quite eager to see you, again though, only when you're ready."

"I'd like to see them. They're the only real family I have left," Ginny said quietly.

"I'll let them know as soon as we're done with breakfast, it's coming up on noon in the mortal realm, they'll probably stay for dinner actually... Time moves faster in the Immortal Realm than the Mortal, so as long as we stay on the Immortal side of the house you can spend actually a day with them before they have to leave if you wanted."

"I'd like that," Ginny admitted. "I haven't seen much of them since they moved out. The last time I saw them I couldn't really do anything since Ron was there and even if I had wanted to go back after Ron sent me away there was no way I'd be able to make it back to their place, I barely made it to the castle as it was."

"Then I think that should be the first thing we do. I suspect Fredrick will be quite happy to give you the grand tour, including the secret passages he and George discovered around their third month here..."

"They do love their secret passages," Ginny laughed.

"That they do," she agreed as Rebecca appeared once more with two plates.

"Breakfast is served," she smiled as she set the plates down. "Stuffed French Toast, with cream cheese and strawberries, with whip cream to dip in if you desire. And on the side, chocolate dipped strawberries."

"This is all for me?" asked Ginny looking at the plate before her.

"Eat however much you like, but I insist you at least try it and tell me what you think," Rebecca smiled. "And what would you like to drink?"

"Tea please Rebecca, and it looks lovely," River spoke up.

"Usual?" she asked before seeing River nod, then looking at Ginny. "Whatever you like, we most likely will have."

"Orange juice please if you have some. No matter how long I've been at Hogwarts I've always thought there was something just not right about juice from a pumpkin," Ginny said as she picked up one of the chocolate covered strawberries.

"Oh hear hear," River chuckled, "Now pumpkin soup is good, and pumpkin pie, but juice it should not be."

"Don't really care for pumpkin much," Ginny admitted.

"Never did," River smiled before Rebecca returned with a glass of orange juice and a pot of tea for River and teacup. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, enjoy Miss River, Miss Ginny," Rebecca smiled before disappearing quickly.

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**Mí na Feabhra a seacht déag, 800,199,783 ID – (Sunday November 2nd, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
><strong>**Ginny's Room  
><strong>**Suaimhneas  
><strong>**1:55 p.m. – (12:21 p.m. – Mortal Realm)**

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"Shh," George glanced at Fred and smiled as they approached the door that they had learned was where Ginny and River were from bribing Rebecca with her favourite blueberries handpicked in Maine in the US, and leaving her already planning blueberries flambé for desert that night.

"I know," Fred whispered back, rolling his eyes as they quietly phased to the other side of the door in time to hear River talking to Ginny who was in the closet they imagined since River was leaning against the doorjamb looking in so they were safe from notice for the moment.

"What about the jeans and the red top?" River suggested.

"They don't fit right," Ginny grumbled.

"Meaning what? Too big? Too small? Fit perfectly fine but you're used to wearing baggy clothing so it's not comfortable?"

"Ready?" Fred looked back at George who grinned before they carefully stepped towards the closet and set their presents for Ginny down. Then they both ducked their heads when River looked over her shoulder at them.

"They just don't…" Ginny trailed off when she felt something hit her foot. Looking down she noticed two small balls of fur at her feet; one was pink and the other purple. Forgetting about her clothes at the moment, she reached down and picked up the two little balls of fur that started purring as soon as she had them in her hands. Not sure where they had come from, she started back out of her closet. "River, what in the world are…

"Surprise!" the twins cheered.

"We saw how much you liked them."

"And simply had to get you one."

"But hadn't been able to decide on a colour."

"So we figured why not."

"They've been waiting for you forever it seems."

"Since you saw them in the store in fact."

"You get to name them whatever you want."

"But only after you put them down so we can have a Ginger sandwich!" Fred finished.

"Fred? George?" Ginny asked in surprise. She knew River said she was going to contact them but a part of her wasn't sure if they would actually come after what happened the last time she had seen them.

"Hi Ginger," George smiled. "We're sorry about the other night."

"I was being an idiot."

"Beyond being an idiot."

"And we shouldn't have made you run to get away from us. And we're sorry we didn't come after you. She wouldn't let us."

"She had good reason," George glared over at him a moment before focusing back on Ginny. "Can you forgive us?"

"For being right horrible bloody bastards?"

"Oh Gods," Ginny cried quietly, fighting tears as she ran towards George.

"Don't cry Ginger," George whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and Fred joined in the hug.

"Please don't, you know we hate to see you cry," Fred agreed as River caught George's eye before silently phasing out of the room.

"I've been so scared. I wanted to tell you…I never wanted to leave your store that day…"

"Shh, its okay Ginger, we know," George whispered as Fred stroked her hair. "We're not letting you out of our sight again."

"Unless you decide we're ugly as sin and you can't bear to look at us again and turn us into weasels or something."

"Never," Ginny giggled.

"See, told you she loved us," George grinned. "So what do you say to a tour? And to naming those little puffballs? We have to hear what you're going to call them!"

"Yes you have to tell us; in fact we're not leaving this room until you do."

"Alright," Ginny laughed. "This one," she said holding up the pink one, "I think I'll name Naoise and this one," she said raising the purple one, "I think I'll name Cúchulainn."

"The Irish legends Seamus use to tell about Cúchulainn who defeated Méabh's forces, and Naoise who was the lover of Deirdre, and killed by Conchobahar, Deirdre's husband?" Fred asked as he glanced at George.

"Uh huh," Ginny smiled.

"Remind us later, we'll tell you the story about the real Méabh, she was a Fey like us, daughter of King Llyweln. Naoise and Deirdre were also real, her half-siblings. Not quite sure just who Cúchulainn was, but he existed according to the history books, the son of Lachtain, one of the Tuatha Dé Danaan."

"Really not much is known about them, except they died in the great war with the Unseelie. But if we learned about them in our history lessons, you can bet you'll learn about them," Fred shrugged.

"Good names though," George smiled. "So shall we do the tour?"

"Yes please," Ginny said, trying to hide her smile. As much as she'd love to fill her brothers in on what she already knew about Naoise, Cúchulainn and Deirdre, she thought it best for now to keep silent on the matter, as she didn't feel up to answering the gazillion questions she knew her brothers would have.

"Then let us go, this place is amazingly beautiful, especially the bathroom in River's chambers, it's got a waterfall that falls into this pool that is like you're in the middle of the jungle for a tub."

"And you can ask our dear brother just how he knows that," Fred grinned.

"Trust me, I think I figured it out," Ginny said, blushing. "I think I know exactly how he knows."

"Oh, we made little Ginny blush," Fred teased.

"Can we not pick on our sister in regards to my love life? And can we not even _discuss_ my love life?" George rolled his eyes. "We were doing a tour remember? So lets get going."

"At least you never had one of your best friends find you in bed together," Ginny mumbled quietly as she followed her brothers.

"So, on to the dining room," Fred announced, neither of them acknowledging her comment so she assumed they hadn't heard. "It opens out onto the lake, the lake is linked to the Crystal Lake by an underground river actually..." he began as they made their way through the halls


	8. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone,**

**Nutmeg44 - Because you asked so nicely, an answer to both your wishes (Although I can't promise that the second part will stay that way for long...)**

**Cindy a.k.a. Jamie**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

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**Mí na Lúnasa a naoi, 800,199,795 (December 24th, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
>Outside Suaimhneas, by the Lake<br>Immortal Realm  
>7:08 p.m. – (1:41 a.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

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The morning of the ninth of August dawned bright and clear in the Immortal Realm. And as Ginny slept in her room on the side of the house that rested in the Mortal Realm, River, set to work creating everything necessary for a birthday party, with Neville, Luna, Fred and George's help. Along with the four, Andromeda Tonks was there, with her daughter, Ginny had learned that Tonks and her mother were Fey a few Immortal weeks after her arrival. She had also met in the years she had spent in the Immortal Realm, every living member of the Black family who was Fey, and her 'ancestors', as well as Sirius' younger brother Regulus, a Fey who instead of being killed by Voldemort as many believed, had escaped to the Immortal Realm. Along with the people from the Wizarding World, she met the rest of River's circle.

Nuada, a close friend of the twins' since they had discovered their heritage, was a Brownie, exceptionally mischievous which was partly why he and the twins got along so well. He was five foot one in height, and had shoulder length black hair, and brown eyes, and had an odd obsession with the sea and pirates. She quite frankly didn't question why. Along with Nuada, there was Adair and Gwendolyn, they had been a couple off and on for longer than people liked to count, and could fight like you wouldn't believe, not talk to each other for years, then suddenly be back together. Adair was five-eleven, with brown hair that fell to his mid-back, and blue eyes. Much to Ginny's bewilderment the first time she met him, he looked like he could be Lucius Malfoy's twin, save for the different hair colour, it had been explained later that the Malfoy line traced back to Adair's own family line, and it was a fluke of nature that Lucius looked so much like him. Gwendolyn was only three inches shorter than her lover, with dark brown hair that fell to the middle of her back and brown eyes, like Adair she was a warrior, and an excellent archer.

Then there was Adair's little sister, Ailie, she was five-four with auburn hair the same length as Gwendolyn's, and green eyes. She had a twin sister named Alywne, who had been kidnapped by the Unseelie when they were babies, and unfortunately now fought against them more than once, the two were identical, save for the fact Alywne had a much darker shade of hair, and didn't have the teardrop stone that proclaimed her as a Seelie. Ailie didn't fight much; she was a Lenan Sídhe, or a muse as they were known in the Mortal Realm, her talents lying towards music more than any of the other arts. Delwyn was the "Lady of Erskine", she was responsible for keeping things running smoothly on Erskine Island, the island was the entry point between the Immortal and Mortal Realm, lying in the middle of the Crystal Lake. Once every hundred years in the Mortal Realm, the island would appear to mortals, the rest of the time it remained hidden within the Immortal Realm. Among Delwyn's duties was ensuring the island was protected, and keeping an eye on the prison that held the Unseelie captive. She was five-nine, with brown hair so dark it appeared black, to her hips, equally dark eyes, and white wings.

The circle continued with Mairwen, the only one in the group that in no way appeared human. She was a Bean Sídhe, a banshee, and as the legends in the Mortal Realm went, she escorted the dead to the other side. She was five-six, with silvery-blue skin and blue eyes, large wing shaped ears a darker shade of blue than her skin. Her hair was a light shade of blue, and fell straight to her waist, save for curls that clung to her forehead and the top of her head, a band of diamonds were like a crown that rested just above her ears, with strings of diamonds that fell around her ears down the entire length of her hair. Folin was a dwarf, three-six with golden brown wavy hair that fell to his shoulders and blue eyes; he wasn't around the circle as much, preferring to spend much of his time in his mines, but he adored Ginny and came around often enough just to spend time with her.

The final member of the group was one Ginny had known in her first life. Nódia was an elf, with black curly hair to the middle of her back, and brown eyes. She was five-eleven, and had been born just 251 years before their deaths. As time had passed, Ginny regained the majority of her memory of her past life, just how much she hadn't told River, and River hadn't pressed, but she did remember Nódia.

Since coming to Suaimhneas (Serenity – River's home), Ginny had learned everything about the years since her first life, and remastered her gifts that she had again in this life. She had chosen to have her rooms in the house on the side that resided in the Mortal Realm, and would spend twelve hours during the Mortal daylight of every mortal day within the Immortal Realm, spending the night hours in the mortal realm. And during the hours she spent in the Immortal Realm, fifty days would pass there, so she would spend the nights there as well. It was crazy in many ways, but it quickly became normal as she saw the passing of thirteen years in the Immortal Realm.

During that time, many things happened. She met River's Elvellons once more, a white pegasus named Eímh and a Cáit Sídhe named Fiach, the Cáit Sídhe were actually members of the Fey, large black cats the size of panthers, who protected the Seelie. She was also reunited with her own Elvellons, Elvellons were magical creatures who would pick a member of the Sídhe, and bond with them for life, and they would be able to talk telepathically. Her own Elvellons who had chosen her in her first life, and waited for her until she returned were a white unicorn, and a Cáit Sídhe. The unicorn she recognized the first time she met him, not just because of her memories of the past. Cosantóir had been watching over her when she was at Hogwarts, the unicorn that was with her for a short time the day Draco followed her out of the castle, River had known it was him that day when she told her about the unicorn that had watched over her, and merely smiled when Cosantóir came looking for her the first time after she arrived at Suaimhneas (Serenity – River's home). Lonán had appeared not long after, and like Fiach, he stayed with Ginny wherever she was, sleeping in her room in the Mortal Realm when she was there.

During the years that had passed, River had kept Draco and Blaise from seeing Ginny, leaving it in Ginny's court when she finally saw them again. Whenever they were in the Immortal Realm to celebrate the four major holidays, it was made sure that Draco and Blaise wouldn't see her and that she wouldn't have to deal with them, the circle splitting in two as those from the Wizarding World stayed around Ginny with River, and those solely from the Immortal Realm stayed around Draco and Blaise. It was a system that worked, as Ginny experienced the celebrations for Samhain and the New Year celebrations the day after, Yule, Beltane, and Lughnasadh, bringing back memories of celebrations and festivities from their first life, and all the other good memories from that time. She never participated in the Beltane Fires though, instead spending her time at the Beltane Feast with Elin and Llyweln.

In two days they would be celebrating her twenty-third birthday, going by the counting of the days she had spent in the Immortal Realm, rather than the number of years she had seen pass. Everyone was coming, even Elin and Llyweln, and River was determined to see it the best party she had yet. She had planned it to be by the lake, with a large cloth canopy with sheer white cloth that fell to the ground, creating tents of sorts that they placed a long table within, a place for the celebration that had a cooling spell so while the heat of the day would plague outside, inside it would be nice and cool. They were planning to have swimming of course, and pretty much anything Ginny wanted to do would be done. And of course there was a grand feast planned, Rebecca quite looking forward to making each and every one of Ginny's favourite foods, as well as a grand cake that of course was a chocolate shadow cake, Ginny's favourite, with lavender candy roses and candy white lilies that looked exactly like the real flowers, which formed a bouquet on top of the chocolate layer on top, and the base was surrounded by chocolate dipped strawberries.

She left the 'gang' working on the details as she made her way to Ginny's room to wake her, with the figuring that it would take about ten minutes to get her up and into the side of the house in the Immortal Realm, making them arrive just around noon on August the eleventh in the Immortal Realm. "Ginny…"

"Go away," Ginny mumbled as she rolled over and buried her face in her pillow.

"Gin you have to wake up. We _need_ to go to the Immortal Realm," River continued urgently.

"What? Why?" grumbled Ginny. "I'm tired River…"

"I know but you _have_ to get up. There's something going on..."

"Can't it wait?"

"No. Gin it's important!"

"Fine," Ginny grumbled as she threw her covers back in irritation.

"Sorry Gin, want pepper up?" she asked softly.

"No," Ginny sulked. "I just want to go and get this over with so I can go back to sleep. You interrupted a very good dream and I'd like to get back to it."

"If you're sure..." she sighed.

"I…I'm sure," Ginny said around a yawn.

"Okay, it's supposed to be warm..." River offered as she sat on the side of the bed.

"Wait," Ginny said, her arms dropping to her sides. "You mean I have to…bloody frickin' hell, I can't believe this," she started cursing as she stormed towards her closet. "First she drags me out of my nice warm and comfortable bed, waking me from one of _the_ most _fantastic_ dreams I've had in Dia (God) knows how long and now I have to get dressed," she snarled as she slammed the closet door behind her.

"Sorry!" River called as she went about getting a pepper up potion in case Ginny changed her mind once they were in the Immortal Realm, which very well might happen.

"This better be good," Ginny snapped as she came out of the closet fully dressed in one of the light Fey style dresses that she had found in the closet her first day there.

"I promise, I wouldn't wake you unless it was of the greatest importance," River smiled before linking her arm with Ginny's and sorta pulling her from the room and towards the Immortal Realm.

"Will you at least tell me what this is about?" questioned Ginny as River continued to drag her through the house.

"No time," she countered as they arrived at the door that led to the Immortal Realm before pulling her through.

"Surprise!" the small crowd cheered.

"Happy birthday Ginger!" Fred and George appeared at Ginny's side and River quickly made her escape after handing the pepper up potion to George.

"What in Dia's (God's) name is going on?" asked Ginny bewildered.

"At this moment in time, it is August eleventh, just after noon to be exact," George explained.

"Making it your twenty-third birthday," Fred continued.

"And there's absolutely no way."

"We could possibly let your birthday pass."

"Without doing something."

"So for the last two days River's had us here preparing for your birthday."

"While she went to wake your arse up in the Mortal Realm," George finished as he held up the pepper up potion, "You might want this..."

"Uh huh," replied Ginny, her hand coming up, her palm flat.

"Cheer up Gin, it's not every day you turn twenty-three after all," Fred smirked.

"True but was it necessary to have River drag me from my nice warm bed and my dreams that need not be explained in the present company," replied Ginny.

"Well, if you had stayed asleep all night in the Mortal Realm, you would have completely missed your birthday. And you can go and return to lovely dreams after the party is over since it will still be night in the Mortal Realm, in fact..." Fred paused to try and do the math.

"Not even a minute will have passed," George supplied.

"Good because trust me boys, these are dreams even you wouldn't walk away from without an argument," Ginny smirked.

"Oh! Oh no more, we don't want to hear this. La, la, la, la, la," Fred sang as he covered his ears.

"Stop picking on your brothers girl," Tonks smirked as she walked over.

"Nymph, drag the birthday girl over here!" River called from inside the tent.

"Why don't you do it?" Tonks yelled back.

"I'm afraid she might kill me!"

"I don't want to stop picking on my brothers Tonks, not when I have such good ammunition about a certain pair of Slytherins," countered Ginny.

"Oh girl, you _have_ to spill," Tonks grinned as she linked arms with Ginny. "Come on, Gwen needs a good story, she and Adair are on the outs again, God help us all. But they promised River under pain of torture that they wouldn't get into any knock down drag out fights today."

"Do you _really_ want me to turn the same shade as my hair…or well at least the colour my hair _used_ to be?" Ginny giggled as she allowed Tonks to drag her towards the tent.

"It'll be funny, and hey I'll do it with you," she winked; her hair was currently a light shade of blue that matched the aquamarine in the centre of her forehead.

"Thanks but you know I hate being the centre of attention and these are dreams best left shared between the people involved," Ginny tried to argue.

"Nymph, stop picking on Ginny," River ordered as they entered the tent, Fred and George on their heels.

"Yes, what dear River said. Besides I need to give a birthday hug," Nuada announced as he appeared next to them, "So move it."

"Annoying bastard," Tonks muttered.

"The majority of us in the Fey world are bastards," he shot back before pulling Ginny into a hug, "Happy birthday little Ginevra," he smiled.

"Thank you," Ginny said returning his smile. "It seems so strange to be celebrating my birthday when my brain that's still in the mortal realm at the moment keeps telling me it's December."

"You get use to it," Neville offered as he stepped forward for a hug, Luna with him, and the 'hug' collection began, ending with Elin and Llyweln.

"Happy birthday Rósín," Llyweln smiled as he held his youngest daughter.

"Thank you Áthair (Father)," replied Ginny quietly, feeling much more at home and welcome in Llyweln's arms than she ever had in Arthur Weasley's.

"Are you anywhere near hungry? Or would you prefer to wait a while for food?" Delwyn asked from where she sat at the table.

"Can we wait awhile? Unlike my brothers, I can't just get up out of bed and eat," replied Ginny.

"Hey!" Fred and George chorused.

"You know it's true," River rolled her eyes.

"And River would know," Ailie teased.

"Brat," River glanced at the girl before focusing on Ginny, "And certainly we can. It's your day after all; you can do whatever you want."

"Except get into a fight or something, we forbid fighting," Adair smiled.

"Why in the world would I get into a fight?" asked Ginny confused.

"Who knows," Nódia shrugged, "I think Adair has lost his mind personally. One too many break-ups with Gwen," she whispered conspiratorially.

"What are you saying?" Gwendolyn questioned.

"Nothing important," Nódia answered with a smile.

"Sure, we all just completely _believe_ that," Mairwen winked.

"Why don't we let Ginny pick something to do before we all drive her batty?" George smirked.

"Works for me. I choose going back to bed," Ginny said as she turned around intent on walking out of the tent.

"That's not an option," Fred and George quickly grabbed her arms and picking her up, turned her back towards the tent and carried her in between them.

"We were thinking more like swimming, various games, presents, things like that," River chuckled.

"Máthair (Mother), Áthair (Father), they're being mean to me," Ginny pouted as the twins set her back on the ground.

"Are they now?" Elin glanced at Llyweln and laughed, "I'm afraid you'll have to accept it."

"My darling girl, your birthday only happens once a year, well alright twice a year with spending time in the Mortal Realm, but still we can't celebrate that one with you if you're in the Mortal Realm... you just have to accept it," Llyweln continued.

"In other words, shut up and enjoy it. You're getting completely spoiled today," Regulus smirked.

"Fine," Ginny sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and once more walking out of the tent.

"Does that mean swimming?" Folin spoke up as they watched her go to the lake.

"Uh oh... River..." Andromeda spoke, getting River's attention and pointing towards the house.

"Cac (Shit)!" River swore before quickly hurrying from the tent towards the two men making their way out.

"What's going on?" questioned Draco when River stopped before him and Blaise, having taken in the tent and everyone that was gathered, Ginny's walk to the lake not going unnoticed either.

"It's Dee's birthday," River supplied. "I'll be honest I'm not sure if she wants you here or not... Though I can say she is quite upset with me for waking her from a very good dream..."

"We know," countered Draco. "We were rather rudely woken ourselves when one member of our party suddenly up and disappeared on us."

"Sorry loves," River chuckled. "But we couldn't very well let her twenty-third birthday pass with nothing now could we?"

"Of course not," agreed Blaise.

"But next time, _don't_ let her go to bed _before_ you decide to surprise her," continued Draco.

"How in Aine's name was I suppose to keep her awake until nearly two in the morning without explaining it was for a _surprise_ birthday party?" she countered with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm sure you'd think of something," Draco smirked. "Now are you going to let us see her or not?"

"You upset her, I'm going to be tempted to lock you up for the next thousand years," she warned before turning on her heels and heading back towards the tent.

"I'll be right back," Blaise said laying his hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Where are you going?" asked Draco in confusion.

"Since apparently it's Ginny's birthday, I thought I'd go and get that gift we got for her," explained Blaise.

"Don't be gone too long mo chroí (my heart), or else you'll miss the entire party," Draco instructed.

"I won't. Now go make up with your wife," Blaise ordered.

"Yes Máthair (Mother)," Draco replied with a long-suffering sigh as he started in the direction of the lake.

"You're a batsún (bastard) Malfoy!" Blaise called after Draco's retreating back, causing him to turn around.

"So are you Zabini!" countered Draco with a smirk before turning and continuing on his path towards the lake and the figure sitting next to it under the trees.

Blaise stood and watched as Draco slowly approached the figure seated next to the lake. When he saw Draco sit down on the grass next to Ginny he figured they weren't about to hex each other and it was safe for him to leave for a short while. Turning he made his way back into River's house and towards the mortal side before apparating out.

As Draco neared where Ginny was sitting, any thoughts of what he might say to her left his head as he took in her changed appearance. She was as beautiful in real life as she was the day she showed him the results of the actions of his past life during their bonding and she was as beautiful as she was in their shared dreams. She was wearing a pale gold summer dress in the Fey style, which he was sure set off her amber eyes wonderfully. Her long light brown hair was hanging loose down her back, the shorter side pieces blowing slightly in the gentle breeze coming from the lake. From the little he could see of her feet that were sticking out from under her skirt, she appeared to be barefoot. As he neared her he was surprised to hear her singing quietly.

"That was beautiful," he said quietly from his position next to Ginny.

"Naoise!" Ginny jumped slightly in surprise.

"Don't get up," Draco told her when she started to rise. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's alright. I just didn't hear you coming," Ginny said as she pulled her knees back up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her chin back on her knees.

"I can go if you like," Draco offered, leaving the decision up to her.

"Please stay," Ginny said quietly, looking up at him as she extended her hand out towards him.

Taking her hand in his, he nodded and sat down next to her, resting his back against a tree. "I'm sorry Ginny. I never should have reacted the way that I did."

"It's okay Naoise," Ginny said as she repositioned herself next to him so that she was leaning against him, her head on his shoulder and her arm around his waist as his arm wrapped comfortingly around her shoulders.

"No Dee it's not. I hurt you. I hurt you badly that day and I can never forgive myself for that. I promised to protect you and then…"

"Then you reacted as any guy would when a girl who is supposed to be open and willing suddenly pushes you away and tells you to stop. Naoise, I've forgiven you. I forgave you a long time ago. We were both hurting and confused. I'm just as much to blame in everything as you are," Ginny said. "Yes, your words…well thoughts hurt me as did the knowledge that you were with Cúchulainn so I lashed out the only way I knew how and that was to return to Hogwarts and Harry…"

"Potter? It was Potter you were with?" demanded Draco, his voice cold and hard.

"What did you expect Naoise?" countered Ginny angrily as she sat up and pulled away from Draco. "I believed you didn't want me and the thing with Harry, I never even saw it coming. I was looking in Ron's drawers for the potion my parents sent for me when Harry found me. One thing led to another…"

"It's okay Dee, you don't have to explain and I'm not angry with you. I understand why you did what you did," Draco said reaching up and caressing Ginny's cheek. "It was just a bit surprising to learn that it was Potter that was all."

"Look Naoise, can we just start over? Start fresh?" asked Ginny worriedly.

"Of course," Draco agreed, causing Ginny to retake her position from earlier. "We'll take some time and truly get to know each other and when you're comfortable we'll take things further. Of course, given the dreams I've been having lately…"

Ginny groaned in embarrassment. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know my nighttime fantasizing would actually lead to us sharing dreams."

"Dee don't worry about it and certainly _don't_ be embarrassed by it, Cúchulainn and I certainly aren't. In fact we'd be rather interested in playing out the rest of the scenario that River so rudely interrupted when she woke you," Draco teased.

"Dia (God) are you trying to kill me through embarrassment?"

"No," Draco replied innocently. "It's more fun to tickle you to death," he smirked before attacking every part of Ginny's body he could reach, pulling forth the information about just where she was the most ticklish from his memories of the dreams they had shared, causing Ginny to shriek in laughter.

"Is that a good thing?" Tonks mused as she looked at the others.

"Well why doesn't someone go check?" Folin suggested before all eyes turned to River.

"Why me!"

"You're his aunt and her friend," Luna offered.

"You're they deirfiúir (sister)," Llyweln whispered in her ear and she sighed.

"Alright, alright, bloody chickens," she muttered before making her way out of the tent and heading towards them, but not before grabbing George's arm and pulling him along. "Protection if she really decides to kill me this time..."

"Are you sure I can be protection?" he asked as they drew near the two.

"Like your sister would kill you," she countered with a smile.

"I give…I give…" Ginny panted from her spot pinned to the ground.

"Slytherins always win," Draco smirked down at Ginny.

"Only if Gryffindors _let_ you win," countered Ginny.

"You let me win?" asked Draco.

"Of course," smirked Ginny smugly.

"And why in Dia's (God's) name would you do that?"

"So that I might be able to convince you to kiss me," replied Ginny, never once taking her eyes off Draco's.

Seeing the honesty in the eyes looking into his and hearing her reassuring thoughts in his head, Draco leaned down and captured Ginny's lips in a kiss, lowering his body so that he was lying on top of her and taking her head in his hands, freeing her own so they could wrap around his back.

"I'd say that's a good thing," River grabbed George's arm and turned on her heels, heading back the way they'd come. "So, who's up for a game?" she asked as they entered the tent.

Uh, what happened?" Andromeda asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Ginny's fine and everything is good between them," River offered.

"In other words, River, and I both, didn't want to witness them making up," George continued with a shudder.

"So, way I figure it, we have until Blaise returns to waste time, so once more, game anyone?"

"Yeah, I need to forget the mental image you two just gave me," Neville shuddered, his mind suddenly replacing Harry with Draco from the memory of that morning.

"Gods yes," Adair rubbed his head.

"Games it is," River chuckled.

"I got a better plan," Fred smirked before yelling suddenly "Hey! Ginny! Get your arse back here and bring your boyfriend with you!"

"Fredrick!" River hissed as she smacked the back of his head. "Batsún (Bastard)," she glared at him as George smirked at his twin from behind her.

"What?" he looked around, "It's her party, she can't spend all of it making out with Draco. She can do that when she goes home, after the party... Oh Gods I didn't need that image," he groaned as he turned an odd shade of green.

"Can I kill your brother?" groaned Draco as he broke the kiss with Ginny.

"No because I'm gonna kill him first," Ginny growled as she pushed Draco off of her and got to her feet, Draco following suit as they both started towards the tent.

"Now Gin, you know you love your brother..." River spoke up when she saw her approaching.

"Weren't you just hitting him and calling him a bastard?" Mairwen asked curiously.

"Yes, yes I was. But I'm seeing his brother and I can't kill him for that fact. And the fact he's Gin's brother..."

"Please don't kill him, I like my prank partner," Nuada spoke up quietly before ducking behind Adair.

"Well then maybe he needs to get laid once in a while so he'll stop interrupting those of us that are enjoying ourselves," Ginny smirked, her arms folded across her chest while Draco stood behind her with his hands resting on her shoulders.

"I've been saying that for years!" River cried as she pointed at Fred. "I've even said I'd find a girl, or guy, for him and he refuses and told me he'd kill me respectively..."

"I don't need help finding girls and I'm not going for a guy," Fred muttered.

"Maybe he should try one of each at the same time," Ginny shrugged innocently. "Whoever said three was a crowd obviously never tried it."

"But.. but.. but..." Fred sputtered. "Oh god! I don't need that information about my baby sister!"

"You hadn't figured it out by now?" George teased, "Even I got it, Draco and Blaise have been together for a few hundred years after all..."

"Not to mention I told you I was woken from a dream that involved a _**pair**_ of Slytherins. A pair being _two_…" Ginny said holding up two fingers.

"Yes, as we all know, Fredrick is an idiot," River announced with a smirk. "So, games? Food? Swimming? With a swimsuit," she glanced at Draco, "What do you want to do? Besides make-out with your husband if we can make that request."

"And sleep, sleep is not an option," Elin spoke up quickly.

"I don't care," Ginny sighed as she leaned back into Draco's chest.

"Well we can't pick, you know Nuada would suggest a prank war and Fred would agree in a second," Gwendolyn pointed out.

"Well then let them have their prank war so long as they leave me and Draco out of it," Ginny said.

"Yes!" Nuada grinned as he appeared from behind Adair.

"Dear Gods and Godesses," Delwyn groaned. "Save us all..."

"Evil woman," Ailie winked at Ginny before grinning evily as she rubbed her hands together and headed towards Nuada who had already left the tent.

"Come on, let's head back out to the lake. Blaise should be back shortly with your gift," Draco whispered in Ginny's ear before taking her hand and leading her from the tent.

River watched them go with a smile, before focusing on the others as the majority of the group went to participate in the prank war, George and Fred included of course, and she sat down to play one of the older games that had been played by the Fey for centuries with Elin, her father, Andromeda, Gwendolyn and Mairwen.

**gdgbgdgb**

_**A few hours later…**_

"Uh would someone like to explain what in Dia's (God's) name is going on here?" asked Blaise, bewildered at the sight before him.

"Prank war," replied Ginny from her spot under the tree next to Draco.

"Why are they having a prank war?"

"They wanted to know what I wanted to do and since snogging Draco and sleeping were not included in the list of activities, they threatened a prank war if I didn't pick something so I let them have a prank war as long as Draco and I weren't a target in it. We've been watching it ever since," Ginny told him as Blaise sat down on her other side. "Where did you go?"

"I went to get this," Blaise said holding out a small velvet box. "Sorry it's not wrapped but I didn't have the time unless I wanted to completely miss your birthday. It's from the both of us, Draco and I."

"Thank you," Ginny said taking the small box and opening it. "Oh my," she breathed in surprise when she took in the contents. Nestled inside the box was a two tone gold ring with a heart shaped ruby in the centre with two slightly smaller ruby hearts, one in the upper left and the other in the lower right sections of the centre heart, with diamond accents.

"Three rubies, three souls," Draco said taking the box from Ginny and pulling the ring out. "The centre ruby symbolizes you and your place in our lives, the two side rubies symbolize Blaise and I and how we'll always be here, on either side of you," he said as he handed the ring to Blaise and gently lifted Ginny's right hand, allowing Blaise to slip it onto her ring finger.

"It's beautiful. I don't know what to say," Ginny said at a loss for words.

"You don't have to say anything," Draco told her as he kissed her gently.

When Draco released his hold on Ginny's lips, a look passed between him and Blaise as Blaise reached out and slowly drew Ginny's face towards his, laying a gentle kiss of his own on Ginny's lips.

"Thank you," Ginny said quietly when Blaise released her lips. "Both of you."

"You're welcome," Blaise and Draco replied together.

"You know, it's about bloody time you three worked things out," River grinned behind them. "Thank the Gods and Goddesses I've been waiting _**entirely**_ too long to see you three back together."

"And why is it every time I'm kissing one of them, whether in person or in my dreams, someone always seems to interrupt us," mused Ginny.

"Sorry Dee," River smiled, "But we thought you might be a bit hungry after a few hours and I'll be honest I want to see the prank war end."

"Alright," Ginny sighed. "But if either of you even think you're smashing cake in my face you've got another thing coming," she said looking between the two men on either side of her.

"Wouldn't dream of it Dee," Draco said.

"Neither would I," agreed Blaise.

"Good, now let's head back into the tent then and have some cake," Ginny said standing up.

"Are you even wearing any shoes?" asked Blaise when he caught sight of Ginny's bare feet.

"No she's not," replied Draco before Ginny could. Again with merely a look between them, they came to the same decision and they each took a hold of one of Ginny's arms, one hand on her upper arm while the other supported her under the elbow and they proceeded to lift her off the ground.

"What are you doing?" Ginny demanded as she broke out in a fit of giggles.

"You are not walking around out here barefoot after they've been having a prank war," Blaise told her in no uncertain terms as he and Draco proceeded to carry Ginny back to the tent.

Behind them River giggled as she followed, skipping actually much to the amusement of George, Llyweln, and Elin who stopped to watch.

"We eating?" Andromeda asked as she approached the tent.

"Yes, Rebecca will be thrilled," River smiled before heading towards the house, "Be right back," she called over her shoulder.

"You can put me down now you know," Ginny said once they were safely inside the tent.

"We know," Draco smirked as they walked over to a chair and set Ginny down in front of it, pulling up chairs on either side of her as she sat down.

"Aren't they cute," Ailie grinned.

"They're perfectly happy," Rebecca announced as she arrived with River. "And if Miss River would be so kind, dinner is served. And Miss Ginny gets first serving."

River waved her hand and a moment later the table was covered with enough place settings for everyone, as down the length of the table was every one of Ginny's favourite foods, and goblets with butterbeer or one of the wines that were made in Tír Na Nóg depending on personal preference.

"What?" demanded Ginny when she heard a snort of laughter from either side of her.

"We'll have to make sure we keep her well stocked with strawberries and chocolate," Draco mused, having guessed the first thing Ginny would have reached for was the chocolate covered strawberries on the platter in front of her.

"Well duh," Luna smirked as the plates started being passed around. "She's a girl, what girl doesn't like chocolate covered strawberries..."

"I don't," Nódia offered.

"We've never said you were normal," River countered with a chuckle.

"Bí i do thost (Shut up)," Nódia shot back.

"I don't want to," River smirked.

/-/**Save me**/-/ Ginny sighed mentally.

/-/**Soon grá mo chroí (love of my heart), I promise**/-/ Draco replied, gently caressing Ginny's cheek.

"Everything all right?" asked Blaise quietly, having seen Draco's actions.

"I'm just tired is all," replied Ginny, just as quietly.

"I'm sure they'll let you leave once you've eaten and opened your presents," Draco said.

"Exactly so," River whispered from the other side of him. "After cake of course because you can't leave before cake. Rebecca spent more time on it I think than dinner... And I just know you'll love it. Then you can take extra pieces with you even," she winked.

"Then I say bring on the cake," Ginny said.

"Are you finished eating?" Rebecca asked with a smile.

Ginny looked down at her clean and empty plate. "No."

"Is there a reason why you're fighting this so much?" asked Blaise curiously.

"You try growing up the unwanted seventh child, a girl to boot, in a family of boys, who is always overlooked and expected to live her life in the shadows and see how comfortable you feel being the centre of attention. Not to mention the fact that this ring you two gave me probably costs more than everything I've ever received in my entire life, including my wand," Ginny said, trying to keep her voice low and her tears in check.

"Go ahead and go for a walk if you want, I'll deal with everyone, by the time you get back we'll have cake and presents ready and I'll have Rebecca make a plate for each of you for later," River offered quietly.

"Come on," Draco said, taking Ginny's hand and helping her up from her seat, Blaise pushing it in once she was away from the table as he rose to join the other two, he and Draco each wrapping an arm around Ginny as they led her from the tent.

"I'm sorry Ginny. I never meant to upset you," Blaise said when they stopped by the lake.

"I know that Blaise and I'm sorry I got all emotional back there…"

"Don't apologize for that," Draco told her. "You have _nothing_ to be sorry for. The Weasleys are the ones at fault _not_ you."

"Don't you think I know that?" questioned Ginny turning to Draco. "I know in my head that it's not my fault, it's theirs but in here," she said indicating her heart, "a part of me can't figure out why they didn't want me. I did everything they ever asked of me and they treated me like garbage. Like I was nothing. After my first year they were more concerned that after my time in the chamber I would turn to Tom and the Dark Arts than making sure I was actually coping with everything that happened. I'm a _good_ student, you _know_ I am," she said turning towards Blaise.

"I do. I've seen your work in potions. I've seen you complete potion after potion and destroy them in the end. I still don't know why," Blaise admitted.

"Because I wasn't _him_. I wasn't _Ron_. Heaven forbid I do anything better than him. I have had to spend the past five years of my life at Hogwarts coming up with ways to sabotage my work so that I'll barely pass my classes so that I don't out do Ron in anything. It's also why I quit the Quidditch team, I was better than he was and that wasn't allowed. The only thing I was ever good for in their eyes was marrying Harry. Once Ron befriended Harry, they decided that I was to marry Harry and truly make him a member of the family. Why do you think Ron beat me so badly the night of the ball?" Ginny asked turning back to Draco. "Why do you think both of us nearly died that night?"

"I'm sorry grá mo chroí (love of my heart)," Draco said taking a hold of Ginny's head, looking deep into her tear filled eyes before kissing her forehead and pulling her close, wrapping her tightly in his arms. "I'm sorry."

As soon as Draco had wrapped Ginny in his arms, Blaise stepped forward and pulled both of them towards him so that Ginny was wrapped safely between them, laying a gentle kiss on the top of her head before resting his cheek against her hair.

Neither Blaise nor Draco knew how much time had passed between Ginny's confession and when her tears finally stopped.

"You ready to head back?" Draco asked curiously as Blaise stepped back slightly.

"You won't leave me alone right?" Ginny asked looking between them.

"We promise," Blaise said. When Ginny nodded both he and Draco wrapped their arms around her shoulders once more and led her back towards the tent.

"Present and cake time," Fred and George announced when they arrived.

"Come on," Draco said leading Ginny back over to her chair as he and Blaise retook their positions beside her.

"Ahem," Fred cleared his throat before waving his hands like he was a conductor.

"_Happy Birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Ginny, happy birthday to you!_" everyone sang as Rebecca set down the cake and River waved her hand and a row of twenty-three candles around the cake, just tall enough for the flames to hover just above the cake.

"Make a wish!" George and Fred chorused.

Ginny closed her eyes for a moment, a smile crossing Draco's face briefly, before blowing out the candles.

Before the candles were completely out, a loud bang echoed and everyone looked up to see the fireworks going off in the sky.

"Happy Birthday Ginger," Fred and George smiled.

"Oh does this bring back memories," Ginny giggled. "Oh did you bring the dragon?"

"Of course," George grinned before looking at Fred and almost as if planned another bang sounded and the dragon appeared, moving through the sky like it owned it.

"Yes!" Ginny shouted as the dragon made its way across the sky.

"Isn't that the same one that went after Umbridge?" asked Blaise.

"Well not exactly the same one," Fred grinned.

"It's brother," George continued.

"Same difference," Blaise shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah," Fred rolled his eyes.

"On to other presents while the dragon has his fun chasing birds?" River suggested with a smile.

"Yes please," Ginny smiled. "I've already opened Blaise and Draco's so…who's next?"

"We are," Fred and George grinned as they handed over a large box.

Ginny tore off the paper and discovered a box with the logo of the twins' shop. Opening the box she found a number of different things that she didn't recognize. "Uh Fred? George? What are these?"

"Prototypes."

"For a certain red-haired male if you ever see him again."

"Or for just torturing Nuada with," George finished.

"Hey!"

"Well I do need to finish Hogwarts don't I?" asked Ginny unsurely.

"Not really," Andromeda shrugged, "If you decide to stay in the Immortal Realm, then obviously not. If you want to go back to the Mortal Realm, you could challenge the Ministry to take your NEWTs now... Neville and Luna have actually been considering that very thing I believe."

"We spend so much time here as it is, we're both in our second century of life, it's kinda boring at Hogwarts," Luna offered with a one-shoulder shrug.

"Take my NEWTS now? I'm only sixteen…I don't know enough and Ron would…"

"Don't you even dare think of finishing that statement grá mo chroí (love of my heart)," Draco said putting his hand over Ginny's mouth.

"Do you really need everyone here to remind you that you are in fact twenty-three years old and you showed me that you have the ability to ace your potions NEWT and if what you said was true and given everything you've learned during your time with River and everyone else than your NEWTs would be a piece of cake," Blaise told her.

"Exactly," River agreed, "Besides, factor in the knowledge you have from your first life... you could probably get your college degree by challenging the ministry too, trust me it's not that hard, I did it much to Lucius' annoyance since it meant I inherited my half of the family fortune at seventeen instead of what he expected to be twenty-five."

"And have all of you forgotten that Arthur Weasley works for the Ministry and he'll do everything he can to block any challenge I might make," Ginny argued.

"And how is he going to pull that off when you are married to Draco Malfoy and Ciara River Chandra Malfoy is making sure to get all the right members of the Wizengamot to approve it?" River smirked.

"He won't need to because the minute the words 'married to Draco Malfoy' are mentioned in his presence, I'll be a dead woman," Ginny groaned as she dropped her head to the table in front of her.

"Gin, you're immortal," River pointed out. "You can only be killed by another Fey, or in battle, or of a broken heart. Besides, like Draco and Blaise wouldn't break his arm if he even touched you with one finger."

"Can we change the subject please?" asked Ginny from her spot with her head on the table.

"More presents," Folin announced before passing a box to her.

Sometime later the pile of presents from the table in the corner was gone, and River exchanged a look with a few in the group before focusing on Ginny. "As you know, it's tradition that everyone has jewellery that is made from their stones so they can focus their magic through them."

"Why else would River wear so much jewellery?" Nuada teased before ducking a fork. "Hey, no killing me!"

"All of these go together," River smiled at Ginny.

"This one's from Adair and I," Gwendolyn offered as she passed a box.

Ginny glanced at the other two presents that had been given by each of them separately, before carefully opening the box. Inside she found a pale pink crystal anklet set in gold.

"Danburite," Adair supplied, the same stone as his teardrop marking of the Seelie.

"Thank you," Ginny smiled at them in turn.

"From the Black side of your family," Tonks winked as she handed her box over. Inside was a gold bracelet, oval garnets with diamond accents, gold links between them that were slightly curved, with an open space between them.

"We got ours at the same time," Luna smiled as she passed hers over, a silver bracelet with oval peridots, with the similar 'wave' links but hers were filled in.

"Thanks guys," she smiled before giggling as Draco and Blaise both grabbed one of the bracelets and put them on the wrist closest to them.

"You're welcome," Regulus answered for all four.

"My turn I suppose," Neville smiled, in his package was a pair of oval cut onyx earrings with diamond accents

"Thank you Nev," she smiled before looking at the two next to her, "Don't even think about putting them in, I can do it myself."

"Sorry," Blaise said as he took the box from her hand, removing one of the earrings before passing the box to Draco.

"Not going to happen," Draco continued as he removed the second earring and they both placed the earrings in Ginny's ears, causing her to giggle.

"This would be easier if you didn't giggle you know," Blaise admonished, a note of teasing could be heard in his voice.

"Sorry but it tickles," Ginny giggled.

"Don't make me tickle you Dee," Draco threatened.

"Sorry," Ginny said, trying to hold in her laughter.

"From us," Elin smiled as she and Llyweln handed over theirs once the two were done.

"Oh Máthair (Mother), Áthair (Father)," Ginny breathed as she picked up the gold necklace inside, the chain consisted of small gold circles attached to each other, attached to it was a half-circle of gold that had cable chains draped from it, a green citrine fire drop at the end of the chain, point down.

Without a word, Ginny took the box and placed it in the hand that had appeared in front of her. As Draco withdrew the necklace Blaise reached behind Ginny and pulled her hair out of the way so that Draco could do up the necklace around her neck without her hair getting in the way.

"Okay I want a pair like them," Ailie announced.

"No!" Adair yelled. "No, no dating."

"I'm over eight-hundred-million years old for the love of the Gods and Goddesses," she groaned.

"Besides she's participated in how many Beltane Fires," Gwendolyn smirked at her on the outs lover.

"I'm not hearing this..." he held his hands to his ears.

"See, you're not alone in wishing you knew nothing about your sister's love life," Andromeda patted Fred on the shoulder.

"Mine's last isn't it," River chuckled before the conversation could continue; the fight between Ailie and Adair had lasted nearly as long as Ailie had been alive. She passed a purple wrapped box over. Inside was a silver ring with a violet stone. "Amber," she explained.

"You found violet amber?" Ailie leaned forward, argument forgotten, "That is so cool, and that is the rarest of the ambers…"

"I kinda knew that already," River just shook her head.

"It's beautiful," Ginny said looking at the ring in the box. "I'm fast running out of fingers though," she giggled.

"Right hand pointer finger," River offered.

"Not yet you're not," Blaise said as he took the ring from the box and slid it onto the middle finger of her right hand, right next to the ring he and Draco had given her earlier.

"Why I suggest things," River rolled her eyes before giggling. "But I do believe the party is officially over, so the birthday girl is free to sleep to her heart's content..."

"Come on, we'll walk you back to the house," Draco said as he held his hand out for Ginny to take.

"Thanks," Ginny replied as she took Draco's hand and let him help her to her feet as Blaise once more pushed her chair in.

"A galleon says we won't see them again," Fred smirked.

"I don't take bets I'll lose," George countered with a smile. "Besides, sleep is a good idea..."

"Oo, definitely. Sleep sounds very good," River grinned.

"Leave us to clean up why don't you!" Tonks yelled and even the three making their way towards the house could hear her after George and River phased away.

"Anyone else find it odd that your sister's guys' is sleeping with your brother?" Blaise focused on Ginny with the last part.

"Doesn't bother me," admitted Ginny with a smirk.

"Me either," commented Draco, sharing Ginny's smirk since he was privy to her thoughts at that precise moment about their own odd relationship as they made their way into the part of the house that Ginny's room was housed in.

"Goodnight Ginny," Blaise said when they had reached the door to her room in the house, kissing her forehead lightly.

"Goodnight Dee," Draco said, kissing her gently on the lips.

"Wait," Ginny said, grabbing them both by the hand as they turned to leave.

"Ginny?" Blaise asked as he and Draco turned around.

"Don't go…please?" Ginny asked a little nervously. "I don't…I mean…"

"It's okay grá mo chroí (love of my heart)," Draco said, brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Nothing will happen. I promise," he told her as he reached behind her and pushed the door open before leading her into the room, leaving Blaise standing in the hallway confused.

"Are you coming Blaise?" Draco called out from inside the room.

"Of course," Blaise replied, still confused about what was happening. As he stepped into the room, Ginny was nowhere to be found and Draco was in the process of removing his clothes by the bed. "Care to explain?" he asked as he heard a door open behind him.

"Sleep," Ginny said as she walked past the pair of them in a nightgown and climbed into bed. "Just sleep," she said as she lay down.

"You planning to sleep in your clothes mo chroí (my love)?" asked Draco as he climbed into bed next to Ginny, laying down and wrapping an arm around her middle as she turned to spoon up next to him.

Still not quite sure what was going on and not sure what was apparently happening really was happening or if he was dreaming, Blaise quickly removed his clothes and climbed into bed with Ginny and Draco, taking up position in front of Ginny so they were facing each other, draping his arm across both her and Draco.

It didn't take too long before all three were sleeping soundly.


	9. Chapter 8

**Hey Everyone,**

**Hope you're all doing well and not dying in the heat like I am.**

**foxgodess07 - Glad you're enjoying it!**

**Nutmeg44 - Give the girl some time!**

**Hope everyone enjoys!**

**Cindy a.k.a. Jamie!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

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**Mí na Samhna a hone, 800,199,796 – (December 24th, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
>Outside Suaimhneas, by the Lake<br>Immortal Realm  
>12:00 p.m. – (9:52 a.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

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"Are you sure I'm ready for this?" Ginny asked looking at the others around her.

"Relax a stórín (my little treasure), you _are_ ready," Elin assured her.

"You've completed all of your training, now you just need time to use it. You're ready for this," Gwendolyn agreed.

"This is crazy," Ginny shook her head.

"No, this is tradition. After this you will truly be one of us," Andromeda spoke quietly.

"You're ready Gin," Neville agreed.

She looked over at Blaise and Draco who both nodded, heard Draco's voice in her mind assuring her she was. "Alright," she agreed looking at the others once more. "I'm ready."

"Good," Elin smiled before they rearranged themselves. River would enter first, with Draco and Blaise behind her; they couldn't participate in the ceremony, merely watch. Behind them would be Elin, like the three she couldn't participate. After her was Gwendolyn and Andromeda, then Luna and Neville, she herself was behind them, with Nódia and Folin behind her, all were dressed in the traditional garb, swords at the men's sides. Her brothers and the others were already inside.

Draco and Blaise glanced back at her and smiled, before turning their attention forward as the doors opened to the throne room.

Ginny remained silent as she knew she must while Llyweln asked the first four of their views on her, her strengths, weaknesses, and if she truly deserved to be considered one of them. He repeated the process with the two that followed, finally though, they all had stepped aside leaving her alone in front of the throne, which River stood on the right of, Draco on the left.

"Ginevra as you are called in this life, what brings you before this Court?"

She took a deep breath before answering, "I seek to be claimed by the Seelie."

"And you believe you are worthy?"

"No," she admitted and he nodded as he rose.

"Ginevra as you are known now, you are a gentle soul, truly one of a kind. You fight for that which you believe, but prefer to remain out of battle. You have suffered great pain in the past, and yet do not let it completely rule your life. You have shown that you can forgive even when forgiveness shouldn't necessarily be given. You have found love lost, and family past. You would sacrifice everything to protect the world, both Immortal and Mortal, and have. For all these reasons and more, I welcome you once more into our Court. My beloved daughter," he finished before cradling her face in his hands. He smiled before leaning forward to kiss her forehead, "Welcome Deirdre, beloved Iníon (daughter) of the Fey."

Ginny smiled as he stepped back and the cheer echoed through the room before reaching up to touch the small jewel teardrop that now rested where her father had kissed her.

"One last thing," Llyweln spoke before stepping back, "A gift lost," he explained as River and Draco made their way forward, a pillow in River's hands. When they stopped beside Llyweln, he reached out and picked up a clear crystal necklace, hundreds of butterfly shaped stones and small circle stones forming the drape necklace. Carefully he reached around to place it upon her neck before stepping back, a matching pair of drop earrings were placed in her ears by River, before she wrapped the matching bracelet around her wrist, and Draco picked up the matching ring, slipping it onto her left hand pointer finger. Only then did the three step back as Elin made her way over, Blaise by her side.

"Welcome home, Banphrionsa (Princess) Deirdre," Elin spoke before Blaise and Draco both picked up the crown that lay on the pillow she held, before carefully setting it upon her head. Draco as well wore a crown, while River did not, Ginny knew it was due to the fact she had yet to be acknowledged as Llyweln's daughter, her identity kept secret all these years.

As the five stepped back, everyone gathered sunk to the floor in respect for Ginny, save for those of royal blood and the four remaining Tuatha Dé Danaan who had come, though sunk to one knee as Blaise did the same, and River sunk fully to the floor, keeping up appearances for the time being.

"Let us celebrate," Llyweln spoke with a clap of his hands and everyone rose, Draco and Blaise stepping forward to take Ginny's hands as Elin took Llyweln's, and River waited for George before following behind with the rest of Ginny's 'circle' the first allowed to leave after the Inner Circle and the Tuatha Dé Danaan.

"What stone?" Ginny whispered to her two loves.

"Ruby," Draco answered.

"Your ring means so much more now," Blaise smiled as he rubbed a finger over the ring in question.

"Good," Ginny smiled.

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**Mí na Nollag fiach a dó, 800,199,796 – (December 24****th****, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
>Suaimhneas, River's Study<br>Immortal Realm  
>9:23 a.m. – (11:12 a.m – Mortal Realm)<strong>

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"Wotcher River."

"Good morning Nymph," River smiled as the two women entered her study, surprised to see them when she had just seen them the day before at the Yule Fires.

"I hate it when you call me that, make her stop!"

"Now darling, I might be your mother, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go and try to convince the King's daughter who happens to also be your cousin's Aunt, to not call you something."

"Mum!"

"How are you today Andie?" River asked as she chuckled at the antics of the two.

"Well when I woke I was rather wonderful actually," Andromeda shrugged.

"And now you're not when it's only ten in the morning and you never rise before nine-thirty?"

"My cousin wrote, he ran into a certain member of the Unseelie…"

"Ailill," Tonks supplied.

"I had already figured that Nymph," River moved her eyes to the currently pink-haired woman. "How is Regulus doing?" she focused back on Andromeda, "Or should I be asking how Ailill is doing?"

"Actually, there was no fighting," she glanced at her daughter. "Ailill found Regulus because he knows you know Regulus, wanted you to know he knows."

"Know what?" Tonks demanded, "Mum won't explain what it is that Ailill knows…"

"He knows that Méabh is alive," River answered simply as she rose and made her way across the room to the bookcase.

"She is?" Tonks glanced between her mother and 'cousin' confused. "Why would he care?"

"Because during Méabh's first life, before she sealed the Unseelie, growing up she was best friends with Ailill and three others. He has known for some time that two of those three live again, their appearances the same as they once were. The third was recently revealed and again that person's appearance reveals the identity. So when three are alive the natural assumption is the fourth is, and it is the fourth that holds his interest."

"Why?"

"They were lovers, before he chose to follow his Father," she looked back at Tonks. "A secret kept by the other three members of the group and Méabh's mother and the Lady Elin. Which if you'll excuse me, I need to contact Elin to inform her of this information."

"Of course," Andromeda nodded.

"But… who's Méabh?" Tonks frowned as she followed her mother from the room.

Shaking her head, River made her way though the other door from her study, Fiach on her heels as they walked out of the house into the Immortal Realm, Eímh was waiting and as she made her way towards Tír Na Nóg with Fiach running across the ground below them, keeping up with them as Eímh soared through the air, she let her mind wander, back to days gone past when they were all together.

/-/_Méabh…_/-/

Looking up she frowned as she realized they had landed and Fiach paced next to them. Raising her eyes from him she took in Eímh as he looked up at something, following his gaze she drew in a breath at the familiar golden eagle that soared over their heads before coming down to land near them.

/-/_What does she say?_/-/ she asked, knowing her two Elvellons were speaking with Orla.

/-/_She has a letter for you_ /-/ Eímh answered after a moment.

After a moment's hesitation she sighed, /-/_Let me down_**.**/-/

/-/_Méabh?_/-/ Fiach looked up at her with a frown to his voice.

"I have to face him sometime," she replied before Eímh lowered his wings so she could safely disembark his back without hurting him or her. Making her way to where Orla stood, holding out her leg that had a piece of rolled parchment attached. "Hello again Orla," she spoke softly as she untied it. She inclined her head and she smiled, she had always done that in the past…

After a moment she unrolled the parchment and lowered her eyes to the familiar script. _I was born the day you kissed me_, it said simply and she chuckled harshly before summoning a quill, quickly writing under it. _And I died inside the day you left me. _Rolling it back up she looked back at the eagle. "Will you take this back to him?"

Another quick lowering of her head and her leg was extended, she quickly tied it back before stepping away as Orla stretched out the wings that stretched nearly eight feet from tip to tip, and she took to the air.

/-/_Was that wise?_/-/

She looked back at Fiach and shrugged, "Perhaps not, we'll see won't we?"

/-/_Yes, we will_/-/ he agreed as she climbed onto Eímh's back and they took to the air once more, soon arriving in Tír Na Nóg.

Making her way through the familiar halls of her father's castle, Fiach at her side, she headed to Elin's chambers, informing her of what had happened, before making her way to the throne room where her father waited.

"Áthair (Father)," she greeted with a smile as she kissed his cheek. "How are you this day?"

"I'm doing well, and you my daughter?" he asked with a smile.

"As well as can be, come, walk with me by the lake?" she requested and he nodded before rising from his throne, taking her hand and letting it rest in the crook of his arm as they made their way through the castle, Fiach and his own Elvellon, another Cáit Sídhe, followed behind them.

"How are your brother, sister, and Cúchulainn doing?" he asked as they walked.

"Very well, I believe they had a picnic planned today in the Immortal Realm. I think Naoise and Cúchulainn planned to take Deirdre to her favorite meadow."

"It does an old heart good to hear his children are happy," he smiled at her.

"You're not old Áthair (Father)," River countered with a look. "You're immortal after all."

"We both know even those like us blessed with immortality often do not live forever my darling girl."

"Those were extreme circumstances, and my lives since then have been as they were meant to be, the White Lady decreed I could not simply live until they were born again, and I had my purpose in each life, each Mortal War I fought in to protect them from the Unseelie who tried to take advantage of the fighting between man."

"I know Líle, I know," Llyweln sighed. "But you have something to talk to me about?" he asked to change the subject.

"Regulus ran into Ailill," she began after a moment, sensing him tense next to her. "He knows."

"Danu's name," he whispered, "You'll have to return to Tír Na Nóg…"

"No Áthair (Father)," she argued softly as she turned to face him. "He already knows who I am, figured it out. In fact he's already written to me. Hiding won't do anything except keep me from living my life, from doing the things I'm meant to do in this life."

"He's written you…" he asked suspiciously, eyes watching her carefully as he read her body language.

"Yes, and I replied," River answered honestly.

"What did he say? What did you say?"

"He said he was born the day he kissed me, I replied that I died the day he left me, nothing more."

"And you think it will end there?" he rolled his eyes, "You aren't _**that**_ stupid Líle."

"No, I don't expect anything to be that easy," she sighed.

"You still love him."

"I've always loved him, but he chose his path, and I chose mine. He's my Anamchara (soulmate) Áthair (Father); it wasn't going to just stop because he left me."

"I wish you had told me," Llyweln sighed deeply.

"He would have left anyway, it was better that no one knew my shame," she argued gently.

"You let us find out when you were already dead and he wanted nothing more than to take your body with him?" he countered harshly, anger coming through.

"You didn't know a lot of things Áthair (Father), that was the least of them," she argued, voice low.

"Why you four were so secretive is still beyond me."

"Because we couldn't risk you trying to stop us, and besides the Gods and Goddesses weren't going to help more than once, if we failed because someone tried to interfere at the last minute, it would have all ended there."

"Foolish girl," he muttered before another sigh was released. "What do you plan to do then?"

"I don't know honestly," she admitted as she looked out towards the lake.

"I wish there was something I could tell you my darling girl, but I'm afraid there's nothing I can say that would help you."

"It's alright Áthair (Father); I have to deal with this myself."

"I'm here if you ever need to talk," he spoke after a moment of silence."

"I know, thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled before an eagle caught their attention. "His?"

"Yes, that's Orla," she nodded as the bird turned and came to land near them. Glancing at Llyweln, she made her way over to her and took the paper from her leg, watching as the eagle took back to the skies and disappeared over the horizon. "_But I lived while you loved me_," she read before looking back up at her father who merely sighed.

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**Mí na Nollag fiach a ceathair, 800,199,796 – (December 24****th****, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
>Suaimhneas, River's Study<br>Immortal Realm  
>11:41 p.m. – (11:12:55 a.m – Mortal Realm)<strong>

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_Méabh,_

_When the dark wood fell before me, and all the paths were overgrown. When the priests of pride say there is no other way, I tilled the sorrows of stone. I did not believe because I could not see, though you came to me in the night. When the dawn seemed forever lost, you showed me your love in the light of the stars. Then the mountain rose before me, by the deep well of desire, from the fountain of the forgiveness beyond the ice and the fire. Cast your eyes on the ocean, cast you soul to sea, when the dark night seems endless please remember me._

_Though we share this humble path, alone, how fragile is the heart. Oh give these clay feet wings to fly, to touch the face of the stars. Breathe life into this feeble heart, lift this mortal veil of fear. Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears; we'll rise above these earthly cares. Cast your eyes on the ocean, cast your soul to sea, when the dark night seems endless please remember me…_

_Ailill_

After a moment she laid the latest letter that had arrived down, glancing over at the eagle that waited. "What makes you think I'm going to respond this time?" she asked curiously, not surprised when there was no response save for the eagle turning her head to more fully watch her. "Damn man knows me too well, even with all the years apart," she sighed before hunting for a piece of parchment and picking up her quill.

_Ailill,_

_Here I stand alone with this weight upon my heart, and it will not go away. In my head I keep on looking back, right back to the start, wondering what it was that made you change. _

_Many roads to take, some to joy, some to heartache, anyone can loose their way. And if I said that we could turn it back, right back to the start, would you take the chance and make the change. _

_Do you think how it would have been sometimes? Do you pray that you never left my side? Cause I tried but I had to draw the line, and still this question keeps on spinning in my mind. What if I had never let you go? Would you be the man I used to know? What if you had never walked away? Cause I still love you more than I can say? If you'd stayed, if I'd tried, if we could only turn back time… But I guess we'll never know… _

_We'll never know._

_Méabh_

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**Mí na Eanáir a cúig, 800,199,796 – (December 24****th****, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
>Suaimhneas, River's Study<br>Immortal Realm  
>5:01 a.m. – (3:28 p.m – Mortal Realm)<strong>

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_Méabh,_

_I've been dreaming for so long, to find a meaning to understand. The secret of life, why am I here? To try again? Will I always, will you always see the truth when it stares you in the face? Will I ever, will I never free myself by breaking these chains?_

_I've been living for so long; many seasons have passed me by. I've seen kingdoms through ages rise and fall, I've seen it all. I've seen the horror; I've seen the wonders happening just in front of my eyes. Will I ever, will I never free myself by making it right?_

_Our dream ended long ago. All our stories and all our glory I held so dear. We won't be together forever and ever. No more tears I'll always be here, until the end..._

_I'd give my heart; I'd give my soul. I'd turn it back; it's my fault. Your destiny is forlorn; have to live till it's undone. I'd give my heart; I'd give my soul. I'd turn it back and then at last we'll be on our way._

_Ailill_

Another letter, this was getting a bit… ridiculous. Though not nearly as ridiculous as her recent dreams. With a sigh, and consciously blocking out Fiach's mutterings, she picked up her quill and a new piece of parchment, it was too early in the morning for this, and she was suddenly very jealous of the fact her brother, sister, and their lover were sound asleep down the hall.

_Ailill_

_The Gods and Goddesses know it has been a lifetime for us, more really. But looking back, I can honestly say it wasn't all your fault like you seem to believe. I knew that you were hiding things, using gentle words to shelter me. Your words were like a dream, but dreams could never fool me after all. Not that easily. _

_I acted so distant then, didn't say goodbye before you left, but I was listening. Still I swore to hide the pain when I turned back the pages. Shouting might have been the answer, but then again it didn't do much, I cried my eyes out and begged you not to depart. _

_I had a dream not too long ago, though I suspect it might not have been merely a dream._

_I saw you lying in a bed alone, the only thing touching you was a crack of light. Pieces of my hair wrapped around and 'round your fingers, and you reached for me for any sign that lingered. _

_There were people fighting, the water rising, and then everything changed. But nothing really matters in the end you know, all the worries sever. Don't be afraid for me my love, one day we all fall down forever. _

_I loved you like no one before, and no one since. It was good to be alive. But sometimes that can slip away as fast as any fingers through your hands, so you let time forgive the past and go and make some other plans. _

_And now I'm not afraid to say what's in my heart. 'Cause a thousand words call out through the ages, they'll fly to you, even though I can't see I know they're reaching you, suspended on silver wings. One thousand embraces, will cradle you, making all of your weary nights seem far away. They'll hold you forever. Though a thousand words, have never been spoken, they'll fly to you, they'll carry you home and back into my arms, suspended on silver wings. And a thousand words call out through the ages, they'll cradle you, turning all of the lonely years to lonely days, they'll hold you forever. _

_You are not alone, lying in the light._

_Méabh_

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**Mí na Eanáir fiche a trí, 800,199,796 – (December 24th, 1997 – Mortal Realm)  
>The Library overlooking the forest<br>Suaimhneas  
>Immortal Realm<br>2:00 p.m. – (4:48 p.m. – Mortal Realm)**

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"Dee?" Blaise asked as he entered the library, spotting her sitting reading a book under the trees.

"Cúchulainn," Ginny smiled as she closed her book and looked up as Blaise approached her. "Where's Naoise?"

"Rebecca found us, he was summoned back to Malfoy Manor," he explained as he sat down. "Unfortunately as much as he hates his 'father', he can't ignore a summons like that. Only Méabh gets away with it."

"Malfoy Manor?" asked Ginny worriedly.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Blaise smiled, "Narcissa just probably wants to see him on Christmas Day or some silly thing like that."

"It's Christmas?" asked Ginny as she leaned over and rested her head on Blaise's shoulder.

"There yes," he nodded. "Draco and I need to decide if we're going to return to school after the holidays or challenge the N.E.W.T.s like Luna and Neville..."

"They're actually going through with it?"

"Yes, they notified the Headmaster of their decision and filed the necessary paperwork the twenty-third I believe. They're hoping to have done the test before the holiday is over even. Neville's Grandmum is distraught from what I hear but Luna's Dad agreed. Her mum was the Fey, while it was Nev's dad, through his dad, his Grandmum actually doesn't even know that Nev's Fey, she blames the Fey for her husband's death. He came here to fight an uprising of Unseelie a couple millennia ago and didn't make it," he sighed.

"So then if I decide to return to Hogwarts, I won't have anyone there with me except my brother and his friends," Ginny said, rising from her spot next to Blaise and walking to the edge of the lake.

"You don't have to return Dee. And Naoise and I haven't made a decision; we might stay too, especially if you decide to."

"I know I don't have to return Cúchulainn but that's been my life for as long as I can remember. Part of me wants to return while another wants to stay here with you," Ginny said.

"Dee, whatever you decide, we'll support you. You have to do what's right for you, what your heart is telling you," he rose and followed after her, wrapping his arms loosely around her waist as he stood behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "All of us are here, me, Naoise, Méabh..."

"I know, I'm just so confused…" Ginny said as she turned around in his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.

"Shh mo shearc (my love), I know," he whispered, resting his cheek against the top of her head, rubbing circles in her back gently.

Ginny gasped in surprise tightening her hold around Blaise's waist before suddenly groaning as pain ripped through her body, her knees giving out as her hold weakened.

"Dee?" Blaise cried as he held her to him before slipping an arm under her knees and quickly moving to the couch to lay her down. "Sweetheart what's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"It…it hurts," Ginny ground out.

"What hurts?" he pressed as he glanced across the room at the chest on the desk he knew held a collection of stones.

"Everything…Oh God what…what is he doing?" questioned Ginny as she felt the pain ease momentarily only to return stronger. /-/_Naoise?_/-/ she called out through her connection to Draco, only to get silence in return.

Blaise frowned before taking both her hands in his and holding them over her chest, closing his eyes he reached out and looked for the source of her pain. "Danu's blood," he whispered as he pulled back, opening his eyes to look into Ginny's pain filled ones.

/-/_Naoise please…do whatever you have to just make it stop…_/-/ Ginny cried out mentally, praying Draco would at least hear her even if he couldn't answer her for whatever reason. A few minutes later the pain that was coursing through her body slowly eased off, leaving a dull ache in its place. She knew her message got through when the searing pain did not return, letting out a sigh of relief.

"It's gone?" he asked softly, brushing a lock of hair from her face.

"Yes," Ginny answered quietly as she slowly sat up.

"Can you feel him?" he continued concern evident.

"He's in pain," Ginny said quietly. "Felt like the Cruciatus."

"It was," Blaise agreed. "I could feel the hints in you, much like it was when Naoise was getting your pain."

"Now I know how he must have felt after all I went through with Ron," Ginny grimaced as she tried to stand up.

"Here," he wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her up. "What do you want to do? See the Healers?" he asked quietly.

"No," Ginny said as she turned to face Blaise. "Kiss me."

"Certainly," he smiled before leaning down to gently press his lips to hers.

As his lips touched hers, Ginny felt a dam inside her break and she quickly began to deepen their kiss, her hands making their way under his loose fitting top to caress his chest. As Blaise lifted her skirt and allowed his hand to caress her thigh, an image started forming in Ginny's mind. Unfortunately it was not the kind of image that should have been forming given her current activities. It was an image of blood. She was in a room, a room she recognized as being her own room here in the house. As she looked around her room all she could see was blood. There was blood everywhere but no sign of who it was that the blood belonged to. Hearing a moan come from the far side of the bed she quickly made her way over to where the sound had come from. She was not prepared for what she saw. Blaise was laying spread eagle on the floor in front of her, a huge gash across his abdomen along with several smaller cuts and gashes spread all over his body and a small silver dagger sticking out of his heart.

"He deserved it," snarled a voice from behind her causing her to spin around only to come face to face with Draco, who was covered in blood as well although he appeared uninjured.

"What? Why?" demanded Ginny.

Before Ginny could react, Draco grabbed her roughly by the arms and pulled her to him, their mouths only inches apart. "He was going to take you away from me and I couldn't allow that because you belong to me," he told her in no uncertain terms before kissing her harshly.

Ginny struggled against Draco's hold and harsh bruising kiss for a few moments before finally pushing him away from her, only when she looked up it wasn't Draco she was looking at.

"Dia (God) no," she cried quietly, her hand covering her mouth as she looked into Blaise's concerned gaze. "No…" she said, shaking her head as she started hearing Draco's thoughts about his lover being taken away by another. "I'm sorry," she said as she ran from the library.

"Dee wait!" Blaise called out as he chased after Ginny, only to reach the library door and find Ginny had already vanished within the house somewhere.

"_RIVER_!" Ginny called out as she ran through the corridors. "Dia (God) help me…_RIVER_!"

"Dee?" River stuck her head out of a room that she had just run past. "What's going on?"

Turning around Ginny ran back to where River was standing in the doorway. "I need to see Máthair (Mother) and Áthair (Father). Please. I need to seem them."

"Okay," River nodded. "Come on, we'll take Eímh," she took Ginny's hand and led her quickly outside to where the Pegasus was already waiting.

"Thank you," Ginny said as River helped her up behind her. "Please hurry," Ginny said as she saw Blaise making his way out of the house towards them.

"Ginny wait!" he called out when he saw her climb up on the Pegasus.

"Dee?" River glanced back at her even as Eímh stretched out his wings and began to run as he flapped his wings a few times before getting lift-off as it were.

"Please just go," Ginny said, not once giving any indication that she had heard Blaise at all.

"Alright Deirfiúir (Sister)," River agreed softly before focusing back ahead of them as they soared, knowing Fiach and Lonán were racing along the ground below them. Minutes later Eímh began his descent, and ran across the bridge and into the courtyard itself as the two Cáit Sídhe followed just behind him.

When he lowered his wings, River slid off before reaching up a hand to help Ginny down. "He'll be in the throne room, I'll go get Elin," she whispered.

"Thanks," Ginny said before taking off in the direction of the throne room. "Áthair (Father)!" she called out when she entered the throne room.

"Deirdre?" Llyweln rose. "Leave us," he instructed the others in the room who quickly made their exit. "What's wrong?" he continued concerned as Ginny threw herself into his arms.

"I can't do this anymore. I can't keep coming between them. You have to make it stop. You have to break the connection," Ginny sobbed into her father's chest.

"Oh Rósín," he whispered, looking up when the doors opened to reveal Elin and River. "I don't know if it can be done my darling girl."

"If what can be done?" River asked concerned as they reached the two.

"A stórín (my little treasure)?" Elin asked softly. "What is it?"

"Máthair (Mother), please you have to break the bond," Ginny pleaded.

"Deirdre..." Elin began before sighing, "a stórín (my little treasure), it was ancient magick used to create the bond. There is no way to truly break it... Only death or the Ancient One himself can break it. And it's impossible to make any requests of the Ancient One..."

"Is there another option?" River asked softly, knowing that it would have to be something horrible that would drive her sister to such a request.

Elin frowned a moment before nodding slowly, "There's a way to make it weaker, I would need to speak with your Máthair (Mother) to be sure," she looked at River.

River nodded before closing her eyes, after a few moments she opened them, "She's on her way."

"Thank you Máthair (Mother)," Ginny said quietly as she collapsed back into Llyweln's arms.

"Come on Rósín, let's all sit down," Llyweln spoke gently, exchanging concerned looks with his former lover and eldest daughter over Ginny's head.

"What happened a stórín (my little treasure), did Naoise or Cúchulainn do something?" Elin asked gently once they had simply found seats next to each other on the raised dais so Llyweln could continue to hold Ginny in his arms, Elin on their right, River on their left.

"I can't come between them anymore," Ginny said quietly.

"Oh Dee," River sighed.

"Llwelyn? Elin?" a woman spoke as she entered the room.

"Airmid," Elin rose, "Méabh..."

"Told me what was going on, yes," she nodded as she made her way across the room and knelt next to Ginny. "Hello again Deirdre, it's been a very long time."

"Can you make it stop? Get me out from between Naoise and Cúchulainn?" asked Ginny quietly from her spot next to Llyweln, her head resting on her father's shoulder as he held her with his arm around her shoulders.

"There is a potion I can make that would weaken the bond, but it will never be broken, you will continue to feel him but he won't feel you," Airmid explained softly.

"I don't care as long as I'm not coming between them anymore," she said as tears started falling down her cheeks again.

"Alright little one," Airmid nodded before glancing at her daughter, then searching through her pockets, "Méabh?" River nodded before pulling her small dagger and cutting a lock of her hair, which she passed to her mother. Airmid then dropped it into the vial, swirling it around a few times before passing it to Ginny, "You need to pour it over her wedding band," she explained softly.

"Do you want one of us to do it Dee?" River asked gently.

"Máthair (Mother), would you…" Ginny asked quietly holding the potion towards Elin.

"Of course a stórín (my little treasure)," Elin nodded as she took it, before gently taking Ginny's left hand and River reached over to pull her Claddaugh ring from the twins, and her ceremonial ring from her first life that had been returned at her reclaiming, off. After a second, Elin tipped the bottle and poured it over the ring, as the liquid ran over the ring, the once bright silver turned darker as it tarnished, and when the last drop hit it, it disappeared from sight for a moment before reappearing.

"Only you can see it now," Airmid spoke after a moment of silence and River carefully slipped the other rings back on her hand.

"Thank you," Ginny said quietly as she wiped her tears with her right hand. "I want to go back to Hogwarts."

"Sure Dee," River nodded as she stood before offering a hand to help her up. "We'll go through Erskine."

"Let them know I did this for them?" Ginny asked looking at her parents as she stood up with River's help.

"We will," Elin nodded.

"Come visit any time through Erskine or through Méabh's house Rósín," Llyweln continued softly. "Don't stay away just because of them alright?"

"I could never stay away from you Áthair (Father)," Ginny said hugging Llyweln once more. "I just can't be the reason…" she trailed off, shaking her head, trying to clear it of the image.

"It's alright," he whispered. "Tá grá agam duit (I love you)."

"I'll write," Ginny said as she hugged Elin. "Tell them I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt anyone or for anyone to get hurt because of me."

"We will. Be safe stór mo chroí (darling of my heart)," Elin whispered as she held Ginny close a moment longer before letting her go.

"Ready Dee?" River asked softly.

"I'll try," Ginny told her mother as she stepped back, knowing that was a promise she wouldn't be able to keep returning to Hogwarts and her brother. "I'm ready," she said walking towards where River was standing.

River nodded, taking her hand before leading her from the room, the two Cáit Sídhe following behind them. "You need anything, you'll contact me?" she asked as they made their way to the arch that connected Erskine Island and Tír Na Nóg.

"I will," Ginny said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever for?" River stopped just as they stepped into Erskine Island, turning to look at her fully. "Deirdre, no matter what this life holds, no matter what decisions you make for whatever reason, you're my deirfiúir ionúin (beloved sister). You're my baby sister, you always have been."

"Because as much as I want to stay here with you, I can't. I can't stand by and watch history repeat itself. Not if I can prevent it."

"Oh Rósín," River smiled sadly, "Listen to me, no matter where you are, be it the Mortal Realm or here in the Immortal Lands, we'll never be truly separated. Anamchara (soulmates), until the end of time. Don't be afraid to come back to our homeland if you want to, I'll make sure they never know you're here and never see you if it's what you want. You contact me immediately if you need anything. Lonán will be with you, invisible from the eyes of any who are not Fey, and I'll do everything I can to keep Naoise and Cúchulainn from finding out where you are," she raised a hand to brush the brown locks from Ginny's cheek. "You remember how to use the spells to hide your appearance?"

"I do," Ginny said as her appearance started changing back to the girl she had grown up looking like. Her hair returned to the flame red of the Weasley family as her eyes darkened back to their original chocolate, freckles appearing on her cheeks once more as the ruby stone on her forehead faded from view. "Would you give Cúchulainn a message for me?"

"Of course."

"Tell him…tell him I love him and I left to protect him. Tell him I left because I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I was the cause of his death," Ginny said.

"Promise," she agreed with a sad smile. "I hate to ask this, but..." she slipped her hand into Ginny's right and rubbed her thumb over the ruby ring. "Would you rather not wear it?"

"It's all I have left of them," Ginny said looking down at her hand.

"Okay," River nodded, "I just wanted to offer you know?"

"I know. I should go," Ginny said quietly.

"Alright," River nodded. "Dee..." she began before pausing. "He does anything... don't hesitate to tell me... Please," she whispered, knowing that her voice was pleading.

"I will," Ginny replied, knowing it was a promise she would never keep.

"I love you Dee, never forget that," River whispered as she suddenly wrapped her arms around Ginny.

"I love you too," Ginny replied just as quietly before she and Lonán phased from sight.

Seconds later Ginny and Lonán reappeared just outside the main doors of Hogwarts Castle. Realizing she wasn't exactly dressed for the snowy weather she just phased into, Ginny quickly made her way into the castle. As she was about to head up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower, she heard music and voices coming from the Great Hall. Curious as to what was going on she made her way over, stepping through the doors. As she stepped into the Great Hall the people closest to her stopped talking to their neighbours and turned to look at her. It wasn't long before all activity in the Great Hall had stopped and all eyes were focused on her.

/-/I really gotta stop doing this/-/ Ginny thought to herself as everyone stood there staring at her.

"Harry," Hermione said, placing her hand on Harry's arm to get his attention since he was talking to Ron.

"What is it Mione?" Harry asked turning to look at his friend.

"It's Ginny," Hermione said, indicating for him to look in the direction everyone else was.

"Ginny?" Harry asked in surprise as he turned to look where Hermione was pointing. "My God…Ginny…" he said as he ran over to where Ginny was standing and pulled her into his arms.

"Oh Harry," Ginny said wrapping her arms around his neck, holding on as if her life depended on it. "Promise me you'll never leave me," she asked quietly into his neck, so only he could hear.

"Never," he replied holding her tight.

"Didn't she work things out with the guys?" Luna whispered to Neville confused.

"She did, but obviously something's changed. We need to contact River, and talk to Gin," he whispered back.

"I should go," Ginny said quietly.

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry as he pulled away slightly so he could look Ginny in the eyes. "You're not leaving again are you? You only just got back…"

"I'm not going anywhere Harry," Ginny reassured him, hoping the sadness she felt did not come through in her voice. "I just wasn't expecting a ball and I'm not exactly dressed for one."

"Nonsense, you look beautiful, as always," Harry told her.

"Excuse me Harry? Ginny?" Hermione said as she stepped up next to them.

"Hi Hermione," Ginny said quietly.

"Hi Ginny. Would you like me to help you change so you can come and rejoin Harry for the rest of the ball?" Hermione asked. "I've probably got a dress that would fit you," she offered.

"Thanks Hermione," Ginny said with a small smile.

"We won't be gone long," Hermione told Harry as she took Ginny's hand and began to lead her from the Great Hall. "Why don't you head up to your dormitory and freshen up and I'll be up in a few minutes," she said a few minutes later as they were entering Gryffindor Tower.

"Alright," Ginny said quietly as she started up towards her dorm room, which was blessedly empty since all of her roommates were down in the Great Hall. Crouching down next to her bed, she pulled her school trunk out from underneath her bed while Lonán made herself comfortable on her bed.

/-/_What are you doing?_/-/ Lonán asked when she saw Ginny open her trunk before conjuring a small velvet lined boxed.

/-/_What does it look like_ /-/ countered Ginny as she opened the box and laid it on the bed next to Lonán.

/-/_Why are you removing your jewellery?_/-/ asked Lonán in confusion as she watched Ginny start removing her various pieces of jewellery.

/-/_Because that part of my life is over now_/-/ Ginny said sadly as she placed her ceremonial ring, along with all her other rings, including the one from Fred and George into the box.

/-/_You have no intention of ever returning to the Immortal Lands do you?_/-/ Lonán asked quietly as she watched Ginny contemplate the only ring that still remained on her hand, before sliding it off her finger.

/-/_No, I don't_/-/ Ginny replied as she slipped the ruby ring off her finger and placed it in the box with the rest of her jewellery and proceeded to bury the box in the bottom of her trunk. Just as she was pushing her trunk back under her bed, she heard a knock on her door. "Come in Hermione," she called out.

"I've brought three dresses for you to try on but I think this green one would look amazing on you," Hermione said as she entered the room.

Twenty minutes later found Ginny and Hermione making their way back down towards the Great Hall, Lonán following silently in their path, invisible to everyone save Ginny herself. Ginny was wearing the green dress that Hermione had suggested. It had a full skirt that reached the floor and the bodice covered her entire front, leaving her arms bare and had a deep scoop at the back that hung down to the small of her back. Her shoulder-blade length red hair hung in loose waves down her back, a sparkling green headband holding her hair back off of her face.

This time when she made her way into the Great Hall, most people turned to look at her before returning to their attention to their companions, allowing her and Hermione to make their way over to where Harry was standing with Ron, Neville and Luna. Before Ginny could say anything, Hermione tapped Harry on the shoulder, getting him to turn around.

"You look stunning," Harry complimented when he took in the sight of Ginny before him. "Would you like to dance?"

"I would love to," Ginny replied quietly taking Harry's outstretched hand and allowing him to lead her out onto the dance floor just as a slow song started to play.

"May I have this dance mi'lady?" Neville turned to Luna.

"Certainly mi'lord," Luna smiled before taking his hand and they made their way out to the dance floor. "Did you notice?" she asked softly as they swayed to the music.

"Her jewellery? Yes," he agreed with a sigh. "Even her wedding band, her ruby ring, and her ceremonial ring were gone..."

"She'd never remove her ceremonial ring unless she had no plans of returning to Tír Na Nóg..." Luna glanced up at him. "And the ring from Naoise and Cúchulainn... she's breaking the unspoken bond between them."

"She's managed to break the bond to Naoise as well if her missing wedding band is any indication."

"We need to talk to her," Luna nodded, "At least to make sure she realizes that no matter what, we'll always be her friends..."

"And contact River later to see if she knows what in Morrigan's name is going on."

As the song ended Harry led Ginny off the dance floor and over to where Ron and Hermione were standing. "Would you like a drink or something?" he asked.

"Yes thank you," Ginny replied with a smile.

"Can I have a word with you Ginny…in private?" asked Ron as Harry made his way across the room, Hermione following him once she heard Ron's request.

"Of course," Ginny said turning to her brother, who led her off to the side a little ways into a secluded corner.

As soon as they were alone, he grabbed her roughly by the arms, his hold like a vice. "You're lucky Mum and Dad believed the line that Dumbledore fed them about where you were but you and I know differently and if you ever, _ever_," he emphasized the word with a harsh squeeze of his hands, "run off like that again, I'll make sure you can _never_ run again. Are we clear?" he demanded. "Are. We. _Clear_?" he demanded once more when Ginny failed to answer him the first time, increasing the pressure on her arms with each word.

"Yes," Ginny said, trying desperately to hold back her tears.

"Good. Now do as you're told and get back to Harry. He's the one you're supposed to be with. Mum expects the two of you married by the end of the school year," Ron informed her before turning and making his way over to where Hermione stood talking to Seamus and Dean.

Neville and Luna exchanged a look as they approached Ginny, "Might we escort you back to the others?" he asked.

"No, thank you," Ginny said quietly as she started to walk back in the direction where Harry had left her.

"Gin," Luna and Neville hurried to keep up with her. "Look, we don't know what happened, but whatever it was we want you to know that we're here. We were friends before everything, friends first okay? No matter what you decide to do."

"No you're not. You're _not_ here. I know about your petitions so just go take your NEWTs and leave me alone," Ginny said, refusing to look at either one of them.

"Just because we aren't here at the school doesn't mean we're going to just abandon you," Luna insisted.

/-/_Listen to them_/-/ Lonán told her.

/-/_Stay out of this Lonán. I told you, that part of my life is over and they are a part of that life, just like Naoise and Cúchulainn are a part of that life. I've walked away from it to prevent what I saw from happening. They will only try to pull me back in_/-/ she replied to Lonán. "Look," Ginny said spinning suddenly to face Luna and Neville. "Deirdre is no more alright," she hissed.

"And we were _Ginny's_ friends first," Neville countered softly.

"And as I said, _you're_ leaving so leave me in peace. I have Harry. I don't _need_ anything else," Ginny argued as she turned once more and started walking.

Neville and Luna stopped finally and looked at each other, deciding to just let her go instead of pressing her more. For now, they had six more days until winter break was over and they took their tests on New Year's Day.


	10. Chapter 9

**Hi Everyone,**

**Wow! Love the reviews everyone!**

**Anonymous Reviewer - You know who you are ;) - As for the song lyrics, you'd have to ask my writing partner Isawien as River and Ailill were her charries and she's the one that wrote the letter. Don't worry, Ginny a.k.a. (Dee) will eventually see the error of her ways, she may just stumble along the way.**

**DracoluverAlanna - Give Ginny time, she'll eventually get her revenge on Ron. Glad you enjoyed it so much.**

****Nutmeg44 - She's trying to protect the men she loves. She believes that if she stays with Draco and Blaise, that she will ultimately come between them, causing one to kill the other in order to keep her. She wants to stop that from happening. The truth behind the vision will eventually be explained.****

****Hope you all enjoy!****

****Cindy a.k.a. Jamie!****

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

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**Saturday January 10th, 1998  
>Outside The Three Broomsticks<br>Hogsmeade Village  
>1:18 p.m.<strong>

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The New Year had come and gone and with it Neville and Luna left as well, each taking and passing their NEWTS on New Years. Neither had been seen at Hogwarts since. Draco and Blaise had never returned to Hogwarts either. The whereabouts of the four unknown to everyone save one person who still resided within the castle.

It had been three weeks since Ginny had walked away from the Immortal Realm and had returned to Hogwarts and Harry. There was not a day that went by that she was not seen in his company, much to Ron's delight and he wasn't even upset that it was becoming a regular occurrence for Ginny to be found every morning sleeping soundly in Harry's bed, his arm wrapped around her protectively. His plan had worked perfectly and now it was time for phase two to begin.

They had just left the Three Broomsticks after having a nice lunch, when people began to scream, and they quickly realized that there were Death Eaters headed directly towards them, casting various spells at the people who happened to be standing targets out on the streets of Hogsmeade.

"Dear God," Hermione whispered as she gripped her wand.

Harry quickly turned to Ginny and pulled her off to one side. "Run."

"What?" asked Ginny in confusion.

"I want you to run back to Hogwarts as fast as you can," Harry told her.

"But Harry…"

"No buts Gin. I want you safe and that means Hogwarts. Now go," he insisted.

"It's okay mate," Ron said stepping up next to the couple. "I'll make sure she gets back to the castle safely," he said, taking hold of Ginny by the arm.

"Thanks Ron," replied Harry, kissing Ginny quickly on the lips. "Go with your brother and stay inside once you get to Hogwarts."

"I will," Ginny said as she allowed Ron to lead her into an alleyway as Harry turned and joined Hermione before they ran off down the street to join in the fight.

Ginny wasn't prepared for when Ron suddenly stopped and slammed her hard into the wall of one of the buildings forming the alley, one hand grabbing her throat as the other drew his wand. "Oh you'll be safe alright, just not at Hogwarts like Potter thinks," he snarled before he apparated them away.

When they reappeared Ginny couldn't make out anything in regards to where Ron might have taken her as her vision was swimming before her. Ron's hand was doing a good job of cutting off her air supply and she was slowly starting to lose the battle with unconsciousness.

"In here," ordered a gruff voice from somewhere off to her left as Ron dragged her by the throat down what she could only assume was a hallway only to have Ron practically throw her into a darkened room and slam the door behind her. She never heard the locks and wards falling into place as she finally gave into the darkness that was consuming her.

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**Monday January 12th, 1998  
>Voldemort's Stronghold<br>Location unknown  
>12:00 p.m.<strong>

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"Hello Ginevra," Voldemort purred as Ginny was brought into the room. "Perhaps you can shine some light onto the matter at hand."

"What matter is that?" she glared at him.

"I'm trying to find out how the Unseelie were trapped, and since it's quite obvious that you are a Fey, surprisingly, and a member of the Seelie at that…" he trailed off, eyes focused on the ruby teardrop.

"Go hIfreann leat (to hell with you)," she hissed.

"Pity, you're as stubborn as Lucius' sister it seems," he sighed. "Lucius, if you please… perhaps one of you will change your mind."

/-/Méabh!/-/ Ginny looked around quickly for her sister. Her heart stopped beating for a moment when Lucius entered, pulling on a chain that was connected to a pair of manacles on her wrists, similar to the same that circled Ginny's wrist, though her own didn't have the chain between them, same as the pair around her ankles, and the same pair around River's ankles that like Ginny's sets had no chain between them. It was obvious they had beaten her, large purple and blue bruises covered her arms and one side of her face, sickly yellow ones littered her legs that were visible thanks to the fact she merely wore a pair of knickers and a bra, her stomach and ribs as well were covered with various shades of colour and her breathing was laboured even as she straightened to her full height.

"You look well Ciara," Voldemort smiled and River merely glared at him. "Have you been enjoying my servants dedicated care?"

"Dánam dondiabhal (your soul to the devil)," she snapped before Lucius turned and backhanded her face, her head snapping to the side before she turned it back to just glare at him, and he hit her again.

"Stop it!" Ginny yelled.

"Do you have something to say Miss. Weasley?"

Ginny looked up at Voldemort before looking back at Méabh. /-/_What do I do?_/-/ she asked, surprised when she heard the familiar voice in her mind.

/-/_Don't tell them anything deirfiúir (sister)_/-/ River spoke gently. /-/_A form of Astral Projection, it takes more concentration though so I don't know how long I can keep it up. We can't tell them anything, he wants to release the Unseelie, has for years. He thinks they'll help him destroy the muggles and muggle born, and any 'blood traitors'. But you and I both know, they'll destroy every man that lives, including him and his, and the Purebloods, destroy us all._/-/

/-/_But…_/-/

/-/_Dee, I have lived fifteen lives, died to protect Man and our People for fourteen of them. If it is asked of me, I would give my life again, to protect our family and the world of man. I have no regrets, I've seen you, Naoise and Cúchulainn reunited, my greatest wish fulfilled. I can die in peace if the Gods and Goddesses ask. But I do not think they will, they owe us all as I've said before. They would not reunite us to let one of us be lost such a short time after. Besides, they need us to keep Kieran and the others trapped beneath the Crystal Lake._/-/

/-/_You shouldn't have to be hurt though_/-/ she argued.

/-/_Pain is but a fleeting thing, we're Immortal Deirfiúir (Sister), nothing lasts forever._/-/

"Ginevra?" Voldemort asked, pulling her attention back to him. "You were saying?"

"Go to hell," she answered evenly.

Voldemort sighed before shaking his head, "Pity, she's such a lovely creature… Lucius, if you would be so kind."

"Certainly my Lord," Lucius smiled as he bowed slightly, before turning and with a yank on the chains that nearly brought River to her knees, he began to drag her back out of the room.

/-/_Méabh?_/-/ Ginny tried to reach her, and River looked over her shoulder before smiling sadly. /-/_Naoise, Cúchulainn, where are you? We need you…_/-/ she asked as she was led away as well.

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**Saturday February 28th, 1998  
>Voldemort's Stronghold – River's Cell<br>Location unknown  
>2:06 p.m.<strong>

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Groaning, River pulled her legs up to her chest, wincing at the pain in her ribs and lower more intimate areas once her 'brother' had left. The only thing that got her through all this was her ability to read his mind, and know that while they were hitting Ginny, they weren't assaulting her.

Closing her eyes, she tried to focus her mind beyond the pain of her fractured ribs, the multiple bruises that covered each other across her body, burns, and whatever other forms of torture they had tried, she blacked out many a time while they were trying to make her talk, much to their annoyance she imagined since she always came to in such pain that she knew they had punished her more than if she had been awake. Her one thought of pleasure was imaging how their treatment of her would be returned to them ten-fold once her Father and the Inner Circle got their hands on each of them who would dare hurt a Seelie, and their two Princesses, the daughters of the beloved Elin and the great Airmid, she figured by now it had been revealed that she was Llyweln and Airmid's daughter. She knew the Gods and Goddesses as well were angry over the treatment of one they considered a descendant, even if her Grandfather refused to acknowledge the daughter that betrayed him and any offspring she had. Once their people were done, and had sent them on to the world after this, she knew their punishment in the afterlife would be greater than even they could deal to them in this life… Revenge would be sweet indeed.

She took a shallow breath, worry about ribs puncturing her lungs keeping her from doing more, and willed the pain away, locking it in the back of her mind as she tried to find the Fey line she had found days before, or was it weeks? She felt it across the room, and with a groan, rolled over and carefully rose to make her way to it, sinking down on the cold stone wishing for her jewels but they had been taken her first hour within this hell. Focusing inward, she found her centre and pushed it out to the Fey line, following it back towards Tír Na Nóg as she left her body behind.

She was almost there, could see the great spirals atop her Father's castle, when a sudden sharp pain pulled her back, her mind crying out even as she slammed back into her body, and the full extent of the pain washed over her. "No…" she whispered, "By the Gods and Goddesses, no…" she breathed before noticing the door was opening once more, and just turned her gaze towards whoever would enter, the one called MacNair… just lovely.

"Hello my pretty," he grinned, "Isn't that just the most interesting place to be, gives me all sorts of ideas… I don't believe you've met my lady yet?" he asked as he held up the long silver blade that was slightly curved.

"Batsún (Bastard)," she growled and he just chuckled.

**gdgbgdgb**

**Monday March 2nd, 1998  
>Voldemort's Stronghold – Voldemort's Throne Room<br>Location unknown  
>6:15 p.m.<strong>

**gdgbgdgb**

Just shy of two months had passed since Ginny was captured, she had learned within three days that her brother was a Death Eater, and her true sister had also been kidnapped and was being extensively tortured in Voldemort's desire to free the Unseelie. During that time, Ginny had been mostly left alone, Ron had returned to Hogwarts she knew, claiming they had been ambushed on their way back to Hogwarts and he had been knocked out after trying everything to save her. The only time she saw anyone besides when they brought food was the times someone would come to try and convince her to talk, but the beatings they gave were nowhere near what Ron used to do to her so it really wasn't that big a deal.

Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to contact River since that time they were together in the throne room, and she worried about her sister every day, all the while having to feel Draco's worry and anger, though she wasn't able to reach him because she had blocked the bond, a decision she regretted as time passed, knowing if she could reach him it would make it easier for them to find the two of them quicker. As it was... it wasn't looking likely that they would find them anytime soon she feared.

The last thing she had expected earlier that evening was for Narcissa Malfoy to come to her cell and prepare her for dinner. Or to be led to the throne room and left as the doors closed behind her, staring at Voldemort who sat at the head of a table filled with food.

"You summoned me?" asked Ginny, her voice flat.

"Come, sit down," he smiled, "You must be hungry."

"You should know. I was informed that I would not be fed today as per your orders," Ginny said, no hint of accusation or any emotion in her voice at all as she took the only seat available to her, the one to Voldemort's immediate right.

"I didn't want you to be full for this fine meal," he explained with a shrug. "How are you Deirdre?" he asked after she had filled her plate and just taken her first bite.

"Excuse me?" choked Ginny.

"Do forgive me," he smiled, "But I've come to learn that you are in fact the Princess Deirdre, who a great many years ago was involved in the plan to trap the Unseelie. Though for some reason you and two others involved died before you could go through with it, and instead Princess Méabh was the one to cast the spells."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ginny said, trying to keep her mind blank of all thoughts, remembering what Harry had told her about Voldemort being an expert Legilimens.

He smiled again, "Oh, I know you do my dear. You see you look exactly like what the stories of Deirdre look like, even have the same ruby teardrop she did. And while Ciara Malfoy has the blonde hair of the Malfoys, and an amethyst instead of the white opal mentioned in books, I suspect she might be your sister Méabh. Why else would the Fey be sending out search parties to the Mortal Realm constantly looking for the two of you so fiercely?"

"I assure you, no one in the Immortal Realm would have any reason to send out a search party for me," Ginny said as she picked up her drink and sipped it before putting it back on the table gently.

"Dear girl, deny it all you want, but I know who you are," he countered gently. "Which is one of the major factors in a decision I've made."

"You've decided to finally kill me?" asked Ginny. "Or maybe you've decided to allow your faithful lap dog Lucius Malfoy to have his way with me. I'm sure it must goad him something fierce to know the girl he tried to kill with your diary is merely a doorway away from him."

He chuckled, "You have quite the imagination. Why would I kill you? That diary was what is called a horcrux, a piece of my soul was embedded within it. When it was destroyed by Potter, the part of my soul was returned to me and all the memories of my time with you. Though to be frank I've denied that fact for quite some time as you can imagine."

"So what's made you decide to accept it now?"

"I've come to a realization as of late. Well, with everything that's happened in the last twenty years, I've come to a number of realizations. Quite frankly, as much as I would like to believe otherwise, it appears that I am not going to live forever. Unlike you," he glanced at her.

"Unless of course, I meet some unfortunate end at the hand of another," Ginny shrugged. "It's happened before, there's nothing to say it won't happen again."

"Of course," he agreed, "It must be quite horrible knowing that your lover was the one to kill you, and then managed to kill your other lover as your other lover killed him. That is how it happened isn't it?" he asked conversationally.

"Why do you care?" questioned Ginny. "And why should I tell you anyway?"

"Oh you don't have to tell me, I'm just curious," he shrugged. "But I do care as to who you are because it fits into my plans for the future."

"But I thought you'd already figured out who I was," observed Ginny as she played with her wine glass.

"I have," he agreed. "As I was saying earlier though, I realized that I am not going to live forever, no matter how much I would like to. Which means I will need an heir."

"And exactly how does this involve me?"

"You're a Fey, the daughter of the King of the Seelie to be precise, and the Lady of Light herself, the strongest Seer to ever exist."

"And what…you want me to foresee if one of your…bitches in heat will give you the heir you desire," sneered Ginny.

"No, I was thinking it would be more useful if my heir happened to have immortality."

"Then I'm afraid you've chosen rather…unwisely," Ginny said standing up. "If you'll excuse me…"

"Actually I won't," he countered as he stood. "I'm afraid you have misunderstood me, you don't have a choice in the matter. I need an heir and I want him to have Fey blood. And seeing as my options are you, the daughter of the King of the Seelie and the Lady of Light, or your sister whose mother has never been revealed, and could very likely be a nobody..."

"If you're that desperate for Immortality, you'd be better off looking to my sister," Ginny snarled as she backed away from an advancing Voldemort. /-/Forgive me deirfiúir (sister)./-/

"Dear girl, I already explained, your sister's mother is not known and I will not have my heir bear magical inheritance of any half-breed Fey," he explained softly while continuing towards her. "You have two choices here, you can come willingly, or you can watch as your sister is slowly and methodically tortured while you come unwillingly."

"How do I know you're even…capable of…" Ginny said as she backed into the wall.

"You could ask Bellatrix," he offered, "But really, why would I even consider such a thing if I wasn't, capable, as you put it," he asked as he stopped in front of her, hands against the wall so she was trapped between him and the wall.

"And if I don't…con…conceive?" asked Ginny nervously, the thought of being bedded by the Dark Lord terrifying her more than it actually disgusted her.

"Well, there are potions to help ensure such things, and we'd just have to try until you do," he explained conversationally.

"Will you stop your torture of my sister?" asked Ginny.

"I'll order her beatings to be stopped yes."

"And mine?" pressed Ginny. "If you want an heir, beating the mother that carries it makes little sense."

"Of course," he purred.

"I have your word?" Ginny gulped nervously at what she was about to agree to.

"I'll even swear an Unbreakable Vow if it would make you feel better."

"Swear to it," Ginny ordered, matching his gaze.

He nodded before quickly straightening and striding away to the door, speaking with someone outside it before making his way back to her side and offering his hand. "Come, sit down while we wait for a bonder."

Ginny hesitated for only a fraction of a second before forcing herself to take his hand and allow him to lead her back over to the table and to her seat.

After a few minutes of silence, the door opened, "You summoned me, my Lord?" Lucius asked as he entered the room, the door closing behind him.

"Ah yes Lucius, I need you to perform an Unbreakable Vow between myself and young Miss Weasley."

"Certainly my Lord," Lucius agreed as he strode across the room to stand between their chairs.

"My dear?" Voldemort held out his hand.

Ginny looked nervously at Lucius before dropping her gaze back to the table and slowly lifting her hand from her lap and taking Voldemort's waiting outstretched hand.

Lucius raised his wand and placed the tip over their conjoined hands. "Miss Weasley, if you would make your request," he asked icily.

"Will you swear to stop any and all further torture of my deirfiúir, my sister, Ciara Malfoy?" asked Ginny lifting her gaze to meet Voldemort's red eyes.

"I swear," he agreed and a small red flame wrapped around their hands.

"Will you swear that any and all further torture of my person will stop?"

"I swear," he agreed once more and another flame wrapped around their hands.

"Will you swear that no harm will come to any child produced of this union?"

"Is that all?" Lucius asked after a moment.

"Since I highly doubt he will swear to leave Harry alone, yes," Ginny answered a note of sarcasm in her voice.

Voldemort chuckled as the three flames formed a braid before disappearing entirely. "Thank you Lucius," he looked up at him and Lucius nodded before making his way back out of the room. "Well then Deirdre... would you like to continue eating?"

"Do I have any other choice?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Well you could not eat if you like and return to your chambers now. I'll be coming to you in two days time, so... Food will be provided three times a day of course and you will be moved to a nicer room as benefiting the mother of my heir."

"Then I would prefer to return to my chambers for now with your leave of course," Ginny said, knowing that even though he had sworn not to torture her, that wouldn't stop him finding a way to punish her for any perceived disrespect.

"Of course," he nodded. "I'll see you in two days then."

"Two days," Ginny said as she rose from her seat and made her way towards the doors, where the Death Eater guarding the door met her.

**gdgbgdgb**

**An Márta a dó 800,199,858 – (Thursday April 9th, 1998 – Mortal Realm)  
>Tír Na Nóg – The Throne Room<br>Immortal Realm  
>5:47 p.m. – (5:42 p.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

**gdgbgdgb**

"Your majesty…" one of the castle guards spoke as he entered the throne room, drawing the attention of all gathered, there. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but there is one you would like to see."

"And who is that?" Llyweln asked wearily. It had been decades in the Immortal Realm since his daughters had disappeared, over a decade since he and Airmid last heard from their daughter. And he had a son more frantic perhaps than even the three of them who gave life to the Princesses, and Cúchulainn was just as hard to calm and keep from going and killing everyone in their path who might know where to find Deirdre and Méabh, though everyone knew as much as Naoise loved his sister, it was Deirdre that he was more terrified for.

"Ailill," the guard answered and Llyweln sat up before looking at Elin and Airmid who had also straightened, glancing to his left he saw Naoise and Cúchulainn's fists clenched tight.

"How did you capture him?" Andromeda asked quietly, before looking quickly at Llyweln for fear she had spoken out of place. He waved a hand to dismiss the issue and she visibly relaxed where she sat next to her daughter and cousin. Nearby were Neville and Luna, as Fredrick and George sat closer to Naoise and Cúchulainn, the group that had grown in the Mortal Realm in this life in Naoise and Cúchulainn's case. Across the room were the others from their circle, spread out as they looked at Llyweln,

"Bring him in," he instructed before the guard bowed and quickly left.

"What is he doing here?" Naoise hissed.

"I do not know my son," Llyweln answered as he looked over at them once more before focusing back upon the doors as they were opened, rising as two guards came in with Ailill, in chains, between them. "Ailill," he greeted coldly. "I'm surprised to see you here; you avoided capture for so many years…"

"I came here of my own free will majesty," he replied, gaze to the floor.

"What!" Adair exclaimed in shock.

"Why would you come when you know you come to your death?" Llyweln asked carefully.

Ailill raised his eyes then, to look straight at Llyweln, "Méabh has contacted me; I don't believe she realized she had at the time, but she managed to reach me."

"You lie!" Draco shot up and pointed at him. "She'd never contact you."

He looked at Draco and shook his head slightly, "She's my Anamchara (soulmate) Naoise, whether you like it or not in this life. She was in great pain and crying out to anyone who might hear, the Gods and Goddesses themselves even. I do not think she meant to, but it does not change the fact that she did."

"You came to tell us this, you love her still," Airmid spoke quietly.

"He speaks the truth," Elin glanced at Airmid before looking at Llyweln, "she has reached out to him, she still does, a quiet voice in the back of his mind, in his soul, crying for help, for rescue from that which her life has become in their hands. They want to know the secret of the sealing; she bears their anger so Deirdre might be spared all she can spare her from," she continued, not sharing the last bit she had found in River's mind through Ailill.

"How do you know?" Blaise asked with a frown.

"I can see her through the link to Ailill; see what he saw though she did not mean to give all she did."

"Umm, I'm confused," Tonks raised her hand before lowering it when everyone looked over at her. "Maybe I have seriously missed something, I know that Ginny was Deirdre, Draco was Naoise, and Blaise was Cúchulainn, and can kinda guess that River must be Méabh though why she never revealed that fact…" she trailed off with a shrug. "And I know River mentioned back when she first was told that he knew that Méabh had returned, that they had been lovers. But if that's the case, why is he here, I mean he left her right? And is that why Draco and Blaise look ready to kill him?"

"In part," Ailill spoke up as he stared at Draco and Blaise, "I betrayed Méabh by going to my father, and she chose to stay with hers. But I also broke a circle that had been formed nearly a thousand years earlier; the five of us were Anamchara (soulmates). And in the end, my leaving led to everything in the end that happened."

"No shit," Draco rolled his eyes.

"Uh, to say what I'm sure Tonks is thinking… huh?" Luna looked around confused.

"Perhaps it is time to reveal that which is not known," Airmid offered quietly. "The past has been kept secret too long."

Draco and Blaise exchanged a look before looking back at Ailill, "Cúchulainn was born in 450 Roimh Daonna, the son of the Tuatha Dé Danaan, Lachtain the Wright and Lady Olwen, grandson of the God Lugh. A hundred and fifty years later I was born to King Llyweln and Lady Epona, Cúchulainn's grandmother actually. We became lovers just after my two hundred and fiftieth summer, as tradition stated. My sister Méabh, daughter of King Llyweln and the Tuatha Dé Danaan, Airmid, Aunt of Lugh, was born fifty years later. That same year, Kieran had a son, the child of Lady Caitríona, and sister of Lady Elin. Two years after, my last sister, Deirdre was born to King Llyweln and the Lady of Light, Lady Elin," he glanced at Elin before focusing back on Ailill. "Ninety-eight years of peace passed until the Ancient One created Man and placed them upon the earth, our job was to watch over them as the Gods and Goddesses watched over us all."

"We spent twenty-five years in the Mortal Realm, and there we met Ailill who worked with us and became a close friend," Blaise continued quietly. "When we returned, the first thing we did after coming before the King and Inner Circle was go see Méabh, Deirdre was in training with Elin so we couldn't see her. We introduced Ailill to her, and even we could see in their eyes that their fate was already sealed. It took seventy-five more years before they became more, though they didn't become lovers until Méabh's first Beltane Fire. We were all happy, Naoise was my Anamchara (soulmate) and I his in the sense of one's great love. The same was true for Ailill and Méabh. But the bonds of Anamchara (soulmates) united all five of us, the bond of friends, sharing the same soul. For twenty-six years we lived happily, kept Méabh and Ailill's secret as we were all unsure how the King would react considering Kieran had been quite vocal about his dislike of man. Then Kieran left taking so many and the Unseelie was formed."

"Ailill stayed with us, choosing Méabh and the three of us over his father. For over nine hundred years he remained, until one day he simply decided to leave, claimed Kieran needed him. Méabh went after him, argued though she never spoke about it when all was said and done; Deirdre found her and stayed with her as she grieved that horrible night. And after that we kept our silence, she didn't want any to know that they had been lovers, to know her shame as she put it. And then the war began forty-nine years later."

"I had always had strong feelings for Deirdre, but had kept my silence for a great many years, but after Ailill left, and the war began, it hit home all the more that tomorrow any of us could be dead, even with our Immortal life. I began courting her, brought her into the relationship with Naoise and I, though to be honest it wasn't that hard, unbeknownst to either of us, she had been attracted to and cared about us for lifetimes but knew it could never be thinking we were only for each other. Unlike Méabh and Ailill's relationship, once the three of us were together, we let the world know, and during the Lughnasadh Fires, we were bound together in the traditional Handfasting."

"Soon after, the four of us began to talk about a way to end the war. We were watching so many of our loved ones and friends die, watching as Men who we had sworn to protect fell, and Méabh went to her mother, seeking her help to contact the Gods and Goddesses. She made the decision to go on her own, wouldn't let us go with her because if the Gods and Goddesses punished anyone, better to be her when we had our love and our future together. She actually left before we woke one day, and returned a few days later with an option provided by the Gods and Goddesses themselves through Aíne. She told us everything, and we formed a pact, to see it done. But we all knew it would need all four of us to succeed, if we weren't all there, and if one of us attempted it, the magick we were calling upon would kill them. But it was a decision we made, one we didn't regret until the end."

"But Méabh died…" Regulus asked.

"The three of you died, just days before the final battle at the Crystal Lake," Nódia whispered. "She did it anyway, knowing it would kill her…"

"Yes," Draco agreed quietly. "And she blamed herself until we were reunited that the three of us had died."

"It wasn't her fault," Ailill spoke softly. "If I had never left…"

"At least you got that right," Blaise growled. "You betrayed us all, betrayed her, things would have been so much different had you stayed. And now you expect us to believe you now? What, you want to help or something? You think we'd let you?"

Ailill stared at them a minute before looking at Llyweln, "I made a mistake, I never should have left, I knew it then as I walked away but the bonds of blood were stronger than me. I _never_ wanted the life I led, to lead the Unseelie against you. You yourself _know_ that I never harmed a Seelie in the millenniums since I left. I'll admit I never stopped the other Unseelie from killing in the world of Man, but I _blamed_ them for loosing Méabh, for loosing Naoise, Deirdre, and Cúchulainn. Had they not been created, had they not been so unruly and wanted to destroy us in the beginning, the war never would have been. I'm not _asking_ that you let me return; I know you won't, but at _least_ let me help find her so she can be returned to you. They're _killing_ her Majesty, breaking her _soul_ and killing her body, I feel it with _every_ fibre of my being. And _when_ they have destroyed her, and she has no more use, they _will_ turn on Deirdre and do the same to her."

"We _can't_ let that happen," Luna looked up at Llyweln who gazed between his two former lovers, then towards Ailill, and finally Draco and Blaise.

"You're right; I can't accept you back simply on your word, though your actions _do_ say you did not harm any Fey all these years. But I _will_ let you help us, but step one foot out of line…"

"Áthair (Father)!" Draco turned towards him. "You can't be _serious_…"

"I'm very much serious Naoise," Llyweln countered quietly. "No one else has a connection to Méabh now; her own Máthair (Mother) and I have not been able to reach her for months. He can _hear_ her, _feel_ her… _he_ can find her where we can't."

**gdgbgdgb**

**An Márta a deich 800,199,858 – (Friday April 10th, 1998 – Mortal Realm)  
>Tír Na Nóg – The Throne Room<br>Immortal Realm  
>12:00 p.m. – (12:00:52 a.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

**gdgbgdgb**

Eight days had passed in the Immortal Realm since Ailill in essence turned himself in, in a desire to see Méabh and Deirdre saved. During those eight days, a great many things had happened very quickly. They arranged a rescue party, consisting pretty much of the two Princesses' circle of friends and family, with Ailill involved. Airmid, Llyweln, and Elin would sadly be forced to stay there in Tír Na Nóg, the risk of loosing any of them in the rescue attempt too great a chance to take.

They actually had been ready for hours, but had to wait until just the right time, having decided the best time to attack Voldemort's stronghold that had been found by Nuada, Gwendolyn, and Ailill two days prior, was in the early hours of Easter Sunday in the Mortal Realm, knowing that Voldemort would most likely let the majority of his followers return home to their families for the holiday from past holidays.

The group gathered in the trees around the stronghold, keeping themselves invisible as they conversed and planned, Fiach and Lonán were checking the perimeter with Blaise's own Elvellon, a Cú Sith that was in essence a big green dog, and Draco's own Elvellon, another Cú Sith though his was black; the two cats were able to communicate with the dogs and in turn the dogs could communicate with the two men. The four Fey animals returned and quickly explained that the perimeter was clear, any who had happened to be out and about were taken care of and everyone ignored the bit of blood on the two cats' paws.

Sharing a look, the group split into three, Adair leading the majority of those from the Immortal Lands, while Draco and Blaise were with Neville, Luna, Fred and George, Lonán leading the way. Ailill was on his own with Nódia and one he had brought from his own group, Adair and Ailie's sister Alywne, who quite frankly was his friend and partner in the sense of her following him be it on the Unseelie or the Seelie side, like Lonán, Fiach was pretty much ahead of them as they made their way into the building. Everyone had a small silver bracelet that once each of the two groups found their girl, they would use it to notify the others, and once both had been found everyone was to get out as quickly as possible.

"Lonán?" Blaise asked when he saw the cat pawing at a set of doors down the hall from where they were currently searching. Making his way down the hall, he found the cat pawing at a set of rather ornate double doors. "Is she in there?" he asked the cat, who growled in response as he reached out towards the door, he didn't sense any wards or barriers protecting the door.

"Yes she is," came a voice from just down the hall, causing Blaise to quickly draw his wand, at least until he recognized the person the voice belonged to. "But you better hurry, the Dark Lord has plans to _visit_ with Miss Weasley shortly, once he's done playing with Bellatrix."

"I'll get her out of here," Blaise assured Severus, who was still hiding amongst the shadows.

"Do not be turned away by her appearance Mr. Zabini," Severus warned before disappearing silently into the shadows.

"What are you…" Blaise never finished his statement as he realized his former professor was no longer there. Hearing Lonán scratching at the door behind him, he turned around, placing his hand on the door handle and gently pushed the door open.

Hearing the door open behind her, Ginny turned around from her place at the window, allowing the curtain to fall back into place, blocking out the outside world once more. She was not prepared to find one of the last people she ever expected to see again standing in the doorway, Lonán just behind him.

Feeling that Blaise was taking too long to get out of the way due to his shock at seeing Ginny again after so long and her current state, Lonán simple pushed past him and made her way over to where Ginny still stood, purring loudly as she rubbed up against Ginny legs.

/-/_Lonán?_/-/ Ginny asked uncertainly, only to receive a much louder purr in response as the Cáit Sídhe sat down in front of her, looking up at her reproachfully for not recognizing her. /-/_Thank Dia (God)_/-/ she thought as she fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around the Cáit Sídhe as she cried into her neck.

It was as Ginny was falling to her knees to hug the Cáit Sídhe that Blaise finally broke out of his shock, having caught sight of thick metal bands around Ginny's wrists and bruises on her arms as the sleeves of her dressing gown fell back slightly.

"Dee?" Blaise said as he entered the room.

"Hello," Ginny said quietly as she rose back to her feet, making sure to cover herself as much as possible by pulling the front of her dressing gown closed.

"Dee, we have to leave," Blaise said as he walked over to her and took a hold of her arm, causing her to wince in pain.

"I…I can't…"

"What do you mean you can't?" demanded Blaise in confusion.

"He's coming for me today, he told me so, and if I'm not here then he has every right to go back on his vow and I won't let him hurt River…"

"Dee," Blaise said as he cupped her face with his hand, "we're here to get both of you out. It's a long story but Méabh got word to your father, he's sent us here to rescue you and bring you home. He's worried sick about you…we've all been worried sick…Naoise and I especially. We miss you Dee and we want you back with us."

"Máthair (Mother) and Áthair (Father) will be so disappointed in me…in what I've done. I've brought shame to them," Ginny said turning and walking back over to the window. "How could they ever want me back…how could _you_ ever want me after what I've done…"

"Dee of course they want you back. Naoise and I _want_ you back," Blaise said as he walked up behind Ginny. "We _never_ wanted you to leave in the first place, we don't even know why you did as Méabh and everyone else refused to tell us and banned us from seeking you out. But that's not important right now, not as important as getting you and Méabh out of here."

/-/_Listen to him_/-/ Lonán instructed. /-/_He speaks truly. There are a great many risking their lives to rescue you __Banphrionsa (Princess)._/-/

Slowly Ginny turned around and looked up into Blaise's eyes for a moment before leaning forward and resting her head against his chest as she began to cry.

Feeling Ginny begin to breakdown, Blaise carefully wrapped his arms around her, making sure not to hurt her more than necessary; her earlier wince had not gone unnoticed by him. Feeling a gentle tug on his sleeve he looked down into the eyes of Lonán, who nodded, indicating it was all right now to get Ginny out of the room. Turning his attention back to Ginny, he whispered in her ear, "I'm going to pick you up. I'll try not to hurt you." When he felt Ginny nod against his chest, he carefully placed his arm under her legs and lifted her up as she wrapped her arm around his neck.

Once he had her securely in his arms, he made his way as quickly as possible from the room, Lonán following close behind, and met up with the rest of the party.

Draco was quite distraught at the sight of Ginny's condition as she lay in Blaise's arms. "We need to get her out of here _now_," he told Blaise and the others.

"Méabh…"

"What?" asked Draco, not quite understanding the mumble that came from Blaise's chest.

"She won't leave unless she knows Méabh is with us," Blaise told him.

"They have her," Fred said. "We just got the word."

"See her…"

"Dee, I really don't think…" Draco began

"Put me down," Ginny ordered as she looked up at Blaise.

"No Dee," Blaise argued.

"Either take me to see my deirfiúir (sister) or I am returning to that room," Ginny demanded, pointing at the room Blaise had just walked out of.

Sharing a look between them, it didn't take long for Blaise and Draco to agree to Ginny's demand, sighing in acceptance as they made their way through the house, Blaise still carrying Ginny.

**gdgbgdgb**

_**Meanwhile…**_

The two women made their way through a number of hallways and down stairs behind Fiach and Ailill, Nódia glancing at Alywne as they moved, taking in the similarities once more to her sister, and Alywne would simply look back, brushing a lock of her darker red hair than her sister's behind her ear and focus on the space around them. More than one person had come face to face with the four, either to be pounced on by Fiach, stabbed by Ailill, get an arrow from Alywne or stabbed by either Nódia's sword or dagger. When they finally stopped in front of a door, as Nódia noticed that the bracelet on her hand was growing warm and knew it meant the others had found Deirdre, she sighed in relief, it had taken too long already to find Méabh.

"Wards?" Alywne questioned; her voice low in the stillness before a piercing scream came through the wooden door. Before either of the women could say anything, not only had Ailill slammed his shoulder into the door, but Fiach had leaped at it as well and the wood went down without any sort of protest.

The growl that followed as Fiach pounced on a familiar looking face with even more familiar looking blonde hair made the hair rise on the back of Nódia's neck. But it was the sight of Méabh laying on a mattress, her once porcelain skin a horrible array of blues, purples, yellows and every other color like someone had attempted to paint something and decided to simply throw all the paint on the canvas in no real pattern. Blood was seeping out of more than one cut across her legs, arms and stomach, and it was the dagger that was still embedded in the skin of her left arm that made her turn and head towards the man Fiach had pinned down, who had Adair's face and Méabh's hair from the Mortal Realm and Naoise's hair he had had since she first met him so very long ago, who was suppose to be Méabh's brother.

Ailill meanwhile had sunk to the floor by River's head, reaching out to push the hair from her face gently as Alywne stood guard behind him, "Méabh?" he asked softly before she opened her eyes and saw him.

"Ailill," River whispered trying to smile, "You came back?"

"Yes," he agreed with a smile, "You called to me, how could I not?"

"I thought I dreamed it," she managed to say before beginning to cough, and drawing the attention of the other two in the room, Nódia's heart stopping a moment when she saw the blood at the corner of River's mouth before she turned her attention back to the naked man on the ground and growled much like the Cáit Sídhe next to her was.

"No a chuisle mo chroí (darling of my heart), it wasn't a dream."

"I'm glad," she whispered as she looked back up at him, "That I saw you… tell them I'm sorry."

"No," he argued, realizing what she was doing, "You're not going to leave again Méabh, mo chroí iomlán mar mo bheata iomlán (my whole heart for my whole life), we swore."

"Shh," she whispered once more, "You are not alone, lying in the light," she continued gently, raising her right arm shakily to brush her fingers along his cheek, "put out the fire in your head," her arm fell back against the mattress. "And lay with me tonight."

"Méabh…" he yelled when her eyes closed. "Ciach ort (Damn you), don't you dare do this," he hissed as he grabbed her face in his hands. Feeling her slipping farther away, he glanced up at Alywne then at Nódia and Fiach before focusing back on her and reaching out to pull the blade from her arm and slicing his hand, and her's, "Open your eyes a chuisle," he begged, breathing a sigh of relief when she opened them enough that he could see the blue, but seeing instead the brown he had known. Softly he spoke the words that they had considered exchanging too long ago, before feeling her pain take over him and everything went dark.

"Ailill!" Alywne yelled when he fell to the floor next to the bed, his hand clasped in River's.

"By the Gods and Goddesses," Nódia breathed as she looked over, before Fiach moved and she stepped on the windpipe of the elder Malfoy male long enough that he passed out.

**gdgbgdgb**

_**A few minutes later…**_

"Dia (God) no!" Ginny cried in despair when she took in the sight before her, before burying her face in Blaise's chest and breaking down.

"Dee it's alright," Blaise soothed as Draco stepped next to him and rubbed Ginny's arm supportively.

"He's preformed the ancient bonding," Nódia explained as she and Alywne were moving around, she had already gently wrapped a sheet over River's body but the blood was obvious as it seeped through the material. "We have to make sure they're hands don't come apart so we're going to be slow moving... oh and we need to make sure he comes," she looked over at Lucius who Fiach was ever so not carefully dragging in slow inches towards the door by his hair. "She's going to be fine Deirdre," she looked back up at them as she crouched down to pick up Ailill while Alywne moved to gently pick up River's body.

"Is there something we can use to bind their hands together?" asked Blaise. "We have to make sure nothing separates their hands even the slightest or they'll die."

"Dee, it's alright. Méabh will live. Ailill is giving her a part of his life to keep her alive long enough to heal. It's the same ceremony I did to keep you alive after the Halloween Ball," Draco told her reassuringly as he took her from Blaise so that Blaise could help the others.

"Come on, we should get moving," Alywne spoke after Blaise had torn a piece of his shirt to bind their hands to each other.

"We need to get her to Airmid, I don't know if it will be enough," Nódia whispered to Blaise. "She may take him with her," she continued, her voice catching.

"Dee's in need of a healer herself," Blaise replied quietly, looking over at Ginny's fragile form in Draco's arms.

"I can imagine," Nódia sighed, "You know, burying you four once was hard enough... I can't do it again," she looked up at him before focusing on Draco and Ginny. "You two lead, we'll follow, I don't know if you want to help with him Blaise, or just let Fiach drag him..." she glanced back at Lucius.

"I think I'll leave that joy to Lonán," Blaise said as Ginny's Cáit Sídhe joined Fiach in dragging Lucius' body from the room behind Draco, who was still carrying a silent Ginny.

As quickly as they could, the group made their way through the halls of the the building, finding the others waiting just outside the entrance and ready to phase back the Immortal Lands with more than a few 'hostages'.


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey Everyone,**

**Well, another day, another chapter LOL!**

**DracoluverAlanna - I'm evil? Thanks...I think LOL! :D Glad you're enjoying this. This chapter should make you and all the readers very happy :D**

**Dragonlove - Sorry I've been away for so long, life got in the way. I'm in the process of going through all my and Isa's HP stories and getting them back up, before I set to work on my new HP G/B story that I have floating around in my head. I think the next going up is my very first set of stories, which is the Dark Four series, the ones that include Not Really A Weasley, so keep an eye out for that one, may show up soon as the first two books of that series are already up. You don't have to read part 1 and part 2 to read Not Really A Weasley but it doesn't hurt.**

**Hope everyone enjoys! It's the reunion that everyone has been waiting for! ;)**

**Cindy a.k.a. Jamie!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

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**An Márta fiache a cúig 800,199,858 – (Friday April 10th, 1998 – Mortal Realm)  
>Tír Na Nóg – The Throne Room<br>Immortal Realm  
>11:48 p.m. – (2:25 a.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

**gdgbgdgb**

As soon as they were in the Immortal Lands and phased one more time to Tír Na Nóg, dozens of guards took the hostages while Adair gladly took over his distant relative from the two Cáit Sídhe, as they followed the group that hurried into the halls of the castle and to the Throne Room where Llyweln, Elin, and Airmid paced.

"Lady Airmid!" Nódia called as the doors opened and the three turned towards them.

"Deirdre..." Elin cried.

"Méabh..." Airmid breathed as Llyweln couldn't even speak at the moment.

"We need to get them to chambers," he nodded before turning and heading towards a hidden door. "Leads to mine, can put Méabh and Ailill there, next door is a room we can put Deirdre in..."

Quickly the group moved after him, Blaise and Draco continuing on to the second room with Ginny, Elin following while Llyweln stayed to watch with Airmid while River and Ailill were carefully laid down. He glanced at Airmid and seeing her nod as she went to work while Nódia left, though Alywne simply gave them a look when it was suggested she leave, and instead sat on the floor across from the bed with her back to the wall to watch over them.

Llyweln entered the other room to find Ginny lying on the bed as Draco and Blaise sat on either side of her, Blaise brushing the hair from her face while Draco held her hand, Elin sat at the foot of the bed.

"Majesty," Blaise began turning his attention from Ginny to her father. "You need to summon my father and uncles."

"Forgive me asking a stupid question, but why?" Llywlen asked confused.

Blaise shared a look with Draco before turning back to Llyweln. "These need to be removed," he said as Draco pulled Ginny's sleeve back, displaying the heavy steel manacle that adorned her wrist. "She has them on her wrists and ankles."

"Méabh does too," Airmid spoke as she came into the room. "They're blocking their magic."

"I'll return shortly," Llyweln nodded before leaving to summon Blaise's father and uncles.

"Hello again Deirdre," Airmid smiled as she approached the bed. "We've been quite worried about you; it's good to see you back within these halls once more. But what do you say to us taking care of your injuries?"

Keeping her eyes closed as she had ever since Draco had laid her on the bed, she nodded silently, turning her head as much as possible into the pillow, attempting to hide her face from sight.

"I hate to ask this, but it might be easier on Deirdre if the two of you step out for a moment," Airmid looked at Draco and Blaise. "There are times when one needs their mother, more than their lovers."

Looking down at what he could see of Ginny's face and seeing the anguish in her features, Draco silently agreed with Airmid, Leaning down he laid a gentle kiss on Ginny's forehead before rising. "Come on Cúchulainn," he said walking around the bed, resting his hand on Blaise's shoulder.

Sharing another look with Draco, Blaise leaned down and gently kissed the top of Ginny's head before rising and following Draco from the room.

"A Stórín (My little treasure)?" Elin asked softly as Airmid moved over to sit on the side of the bed, one hand raised, her palm down, just a few inches over Ginny's stomach, Elin knowing she was using her gifts from her divine heritage.

At hearing her mother's concerned voice, Ginny couldn't help the tears that started falling, trying desperately to bury her face even further into the pillows.

"Oh my darling girl," Elin rose and slipped to the other side of the bed, reaching out to brush her hair back, "Shh little one, it's okay, you're safe now. Tears can cleanse..." she whispered as Airmid silently gathered herbs and ever so gently rubbed lotions on the bruises she could see.

"I'm so ashamed," Ginny sobbed into her pillow.

"No child," Airmid laid her medicines down and rose to kneel beside the head of the bed. "You did what you had to do to protect your sister. And I'll be honest; I thank you so very much, but only wish you didn't have to do what you did."

"I gave myself willingly to that monster to save her and yet she still suffered," Ginny cried. "I've ruined everything. Even if Harry truly wanted me he wouldn't touch me after what I did and Naoise and Cúchulainn will never want me now."

"Yes she suffered, but you're sacrifice meant she wasn't beaten as she was. You bought her the time for us to get there. And she's going to live; Ailill won't let her go. I can't speak of Harry's actions, but I know that Naoise and Cúchulainn will understand, and nothing could make them not want you. They love you sweet girl, they're your Anamchara (soulmates), and you know how rare that is to find."

"How could they want me after all that I've done?"

"How could you want Naoise after he killed you and Cúchulainn?" Elin countered softly. "How could Cúchulainn want Naoise after he killed you and him?"

"It's not the same," countered Ginny.

"And why is that? Seems to me, love is what brought you all back together in this life, even with the pain of the past. Love will keep you together," Airmid shrugged slightly.

"I'm not the same girl I was before," Ginny said sadly, tears still falling down her cheeks from her closed eyes. "I've seen true evil. Been…_touched_ by it…I'm dirty now. Tainted. I don't know how to feel anymore. I'm numb, have been for a while now. They deserve someone who's whole, someone who can love them, as they deserve. They deserve each other without me messing things up."

"Seems to me love, that's a decision you should let them make. You've already made so many decisions for them..." Elin countered gently.

"I was trying to protect Cúchulainn by leaving. I didn't want him to die because of me. I came between them in the past, I wasn't going to do it again and I still refuse to."

"You won't come between them a stórin (my little treasure)," Elin argued softly, "When he finally returned after you left, we realized what had happened. Cúchulainn knew the Cruciatus curse had been used on him from you feeling it, and from him feeling it through you. When I touched him after he returned, I saw what happened, his father placed the Imperius on him in hopes of making you leave the Immortal Realm so they could capture you. You saw something, I know it now, I knew it then, but what you saw was affected by what you were feeling from him, feelings that weren't truly his. It will not happen lovely girl, you won't come between them, _you_ make them _whole_."

"Dia (God) I've ruined everything," Ginny sobbed.

"Shhh," Elin whispered as Airmid nodded and rose, her work done for now as she paused to cast a spell that would heal all the physical wounds she couldn't see, sometimes Elin couldn't help but be jealous of the divine power Airmid possessed. She watched the other woman turn to leave, and focused completely on her daughter, carefully pulling her close, "Shh my precious girl, it's okay to cry, I'm here, and you're not alone."

"Oh Máthair (Mother), what have I done," cried Ginny as she buried her face in Elin's lap, her arms going around her waist and holding her mother tight.

"I know my love, I know," Elin whispered, brushing her hand through Ginny's hair, she knew her arguments that Ginny did what she had to would only fall on deaf ears, she would need to hear it from her sister and lovers' voices.

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**An Márta fiache a hocht 800,199,858 – (Friday April 10th, 1998 – Mortal Realm)  
>Tír Na Nóg – Deirdre and Méabh's secret room<br>Immortal Realm  
>9:17 a.m. – (2:28 a.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

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Two days had passed since everyone returned from the rescue mission, two days where all those captured were locked beneath the castle in the dungeons, many guards looking the other way when Adair or one of the others from River and Ginny's circle went down to 'speak with them'. Blaise's father and uncles had come, and had taken a few minutes to discuss their options before setting to work on removing the manacles that wrapped around the girls' ankles and wrists. They had left just as quickly, back to their homes and their work, but with promises to return soon. Airmid had exchanged a knowing glance with her great-nephews before returning to her work tending to River and Ailill.

Ginny had promptly managed to disappear within the castle once the manacles were removed and her magic returned, much to the annoyance of Draco and Blaise who couldn't find her no matter how much they searched, and Elin wouldn't say anything about what had happened save they needed to talk with her. So everyone was left in a bit of limbo, waiting for Ginny to come out of hiding, or River to wake up, whichever happened first.

As it was, Airmid was sitting talking with Alywne when River's eyes opened at the same time Ailill's did, and they simply stared at each other a moment before she turned her head to look at her mother.

Ginny was in the same room she and River used to come to and play for hours when they were small children, or sit for hours when they wanted to be alone, just the two of them, for the majority of their life. In order to even find the room, you had to have an extensive knowledge of the secret passages within the castle corridors, and even then it was easy to pass by the room, everyone assumed the window that was in the room was the window of the room above, the perfect place for the two Princesses to be able to get away from the pomp and circumstance of being the beloved and only Princesses of their people.

/-/_Deirdre_…/-/ the voice filled Ginny's mind, and she looked up from the cross-stitch she had found when she first came to the room two days before, one that had been left there the last time they had come during the war, and she had started working on it to pass the time.

/-/_Deirfiúir (Sister)?_/-/ Ginny replied hesitantly.

/-/_It's me Deirfiúir ionúin (Beloved Sister)_/-/ came the response, /-/_Come see me when you're ready? Only one with me is Ailill but he will gladly keep watch at the door to give us time alone_./-/

Sighing softly Ginny put her cross-stitch down and rose from her spot in the window. She made her way out of the room and through the castle corridors, ducking out of sight whenever she heard someone coming near to where she was, making ample use of the secret passageways to make her way back towards the room where River and Ailill had been placed when they had been brought there after the rescue. Ginny stood just outside the door, her head resting against the door itself, for a few moments, collecting herself before standing up and knocking softly.

It opened before she had a chance to move her hand back, and Ailill stood there before ducking his head and stepping aside. "It's good to see you awake and well Deirdre," he whispered before looking across the room and nodding towards where River sat up on the bed. "Just let me know when you're ready," he continued to Ginny before silently moving around her to go outside.

Ginny turned around to say something to him only find herself once more facing a wooden door. Slowly she turned back around, her eyes firmly on the floor in front of her as she refused to make eye contact. "It wasn't necessary for him to leave."

"He knows there's a great many people here who have a good deal of anger and hatred for him, thinks he deserves it and I suppose he's right in some ways. He doesn't want to make you uncomfortable, he's blamed himself a long time for all of our deaths, and knows you were the one to find me after he left that day," River explained softly. "He knows you have enough going on, without having to face him and that part of our past unless you're ready to. But I'm more worried about you... I missed you," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," Ginny whispered, still not looking anywhere but the square of floor in front of her, her back up against the door.

River sighed, "You're going to make me get up aren't you, when this bed is so entirely comfortable and I've determined I'm making Áthair (Father) fess up as to who made his mattress and going and hunting that person down to make me one..." she chuckled before slipping out of the bed and moving towards the door, stopping in front of Ginny she reached up to tip Ginny's chin up. "There you are," she smiled.

Ginny pulled her chin out of River's hand and stepped around her, walking over to the window where she stood looking out, her arms wrapped protectively around her middle.

River followed her, stopping next to her and looking out the window. "Thank you..." she spoke softly. "You shouldn't have, but thank you..."

"For what? Even with an unbreakable vow it didn't stop you being hurt," countered Ginny quietly. "I sold my soul to the devil and got nothing in return."

"You kept me alive," River countered softly. "I hate that you had to do it, but because of it, we're here together, and we have the rest of time to be together. I'd give anything though to have had it been different, if they hadn't kept it such a secret who my mother was..." she trailed off bitterly.

"He wanted his heir to have Fey immortality."

"Idiot should have done his research better, didn't have to put you through any of it if he had..."

"He would of gone after me regardless. He has the memories of me from the diary and I'm a link to Harry. What better way to get at your enemy than to bed their lover and have them carry your child," Ginny shrugged.

"True," River agreed softly, "One of the many times I look at Men and wonder, just why it is the Ancient One created them. Why we did what we did to protect them from Kieran and the Unseelie... Even in our wars amongst ourselves, such a thing would never be considered."

"I thought you were safe. Believing you were safe allowed me to go through with it every time he came."

"We're too alike you and I deirfiúir (sister), it was knowing you weren't being hurt like I was that gave me the strength to get through, until my ability to reach Áthair (Father) and Máthair (Mother) failed."

"He swore to me the torture would end. He made an unbreakable vow," Ginny said.

"The beatings stopped," River explained softly, "But there are ways to get around an Unbreakable Vow, and Lucius knew them perhaps more than any other. He was there I know, gave him the knowledge of exactly how things were worded and how to get around the wording..."

"So it was all for nothing," Ginny said, sad acceptance in her voice. "I've ruined everything for no reason."

"First, you didn't ruin everything, but I'll get back to that in a minute. Even if you had, as you think, it wasn't for nothing Dee," River whispered as she turned slightly to look at her. "You kept me alive. If you hadn't gotten him to make that vow, I doubt I would have lived long enough to finally be able to reach out to Ailill. When his mind felt mine, it never let mine truly retreat, giving them the ability to find us. We'd still be there, the Gods and Goddesses alone know what they might be doing to you now to get the information I would have never given before my death, and I have no doubts in my mind I would have left this life by now if the beatings continued."

"I kept you alive while I was slowly dying," Ginny laughed mirthlessly.

"Seems to me then that Ailill found me and brought me back from Labraid's lands. You already have the one who brought you back from Labraid's lands once," River offered softly. "I know you probably won't believe me Dee, but everything that happened, it _wasn't_ for nothing, at least not in the sense of you and me. You gave me a chance to live, and I would give _anything_ in my power that you hadn't had to even make the choice, to take away your pain. But I'm fairly certain _you_ don't look at me and see me different for everything they did to me in that room, know that _I_ don't look at you and see you as weaker or _anything_ you might be thinking. _Everything_ that happened deirfiúir (sister), it only reminds me how very much you are stronger than me, how much you're my beautiful, amazing, one of a kind sister that I've loved since the day I first stood next to the bed and looked over the side to see these pretty brown eyes staring back at me, and I knew you were mine as much as I was yours, two of a kind."

"But not everyone will think like you do," Ginny said quietly.

"Everyone important _should_," River offered gently. "But even if it takes a while, or there are some idiotic people out there, I'll always be here, Áthair (Father) will, your Máthair (Mother) and mine, and Ailill, if you would give him a second chance in time. Luna and Neville, your brothers... I can tell you now the four of them won't care about anything that happened beyond the fact that you're alive, they love you, your brothers especially..." she trailed off with a slight shrug. "Want to not think about anything for a while though?"

"Why do you think I've been hiding? I can't bear the thought of seeing anyone and having to go through everything I did over and over again. You and Ailill are the first people I've seen since I left the room after our rescue," Ginny sighed.

"Well then," River nodded, "Then how about we make the world go away for a few days more. We can have a picnic on Áthair's (Father's) bed like we use to do as children. Ailill will gladly go and find us all our favourite foods, I'm sure somewhere in the castle they have to have made some of Aine's Cakes..."

"Works for me," Ginny shrugged. "Ailill's welcome to join us if he wants. He doesn't have to stay away on my account. I hold no anger towards him."

"He'll be glad to hear that," River smiled, "I think you and our Máthairs (mothers) are the only three within the Realm who currently don't bear him ill will, but are letting him be on account of his having bonded himself to me. Come on though, what do you say we really get back in touch with happier days, we can dress up like Goddess Princesses."

"I don't think any of those clothes would even fit anymore," Ginny said quietly as she walked over to the bed and sat down, her gaze on her hands that were fiddling in her lap with the tie of one of her sleeves.

"Then perhaps it's a good thing we have Fey magic," River smiled, "There was a plus to never telling anyone we figured out how to manipulate material with magic and that's how we always finished our sewing so quickly."

"Why don't we worry about eating first," Ginny said, looking up at River.

"Deal," River nodded, "You sit, and I'll send Ailill looking for food."

"Sounds good."

"I'd rather just stay inside if that's alright," Ginny said.

"Of course it is," she agreed as the door opened to admit Ailill pulling a small serving cart.

"Lunch is served," he smiled as he shut the door and pushed it over. "I managed to hunt down your favourite soup, some bread, and two of Aine's cakes, chocolate with strawberry for you Dee Dee, and chocolate and raspberry for you Méabh," he waved at the two cakes, "Of course in your favourite lavender and sky blue respectively, and for you," he produced a white longstem rosebud and a pink longstem rosebud, holding them out, "To match the ones on your cakes," he smiled.

"Thank you good sir," River giggled as she took the white rose that did indeed match the white rosebud on her cake.

"Thanks," Ginny said, swallowing nervously at the sight of all the food.

"Now, because one can simply not just dive into soup," Ailill began dramatically as he picked up a plate that had a napkin over it, having caught the shade of green Ginny turned, "One must _always_ start with Lady Lilith's fresh bread..." he pulled the napkin off with a flourish and held out the plate with slices of bread. "Though one must wonder, after so many years you'd think she'd have retired by now. Instead she hit me over the back of my head with that rolling pin of her's and when I explained I was there to get food for you, promptly hit me again for not saying something sooner. I wonder if that's why her bread is always perfect; afraid to fall for fear she'll beat it with that pin of hers..."

"You're crazy," River giggled as she picked up a piece of bread.

Ginny couldn't stop the giggle that escaped at Ailill's antics as she reached for a slice of bread, carefully taking a small bite of it.

"But Banphionsas (Princesses), I've always been crazy," he winked as he turned and set the plate back down before picking up another one that held two goblets, "The finest water in the land miladies, I would have gone and had it freshly drawn from the Crystal Spring myself but... I feared you two might kill me for taking so long to return with your Aine's Cakes. As it was, someone had nicely already just returned from the trek so I stole their flask..." he gave a one shoulder shrug with his free arm before continuing conspiratorially, "You never saw me if they ask about the masked man who was stealing water."

"It was Zorro," Ginny giggled.

"Did you leave a 'Z' in his pants?" River snickered.

"I would have left an 'A', but I figured that would give it away..." he mused before looking at them confused, "Who's Zorro?"

River nearly spit her water out as she started to laugh, "By the Goddesses, you would have left an 'A' but you don't know what the reference is," she promptly fell off the bed from giggling as he managed to grab her goblet before she went over the edge.

"Sorry Ailill, muggle human reference," Ginny shrugged as she looked over the edge of the bed at her sister who was still giggling like mad. "I think she's lost it."

"Every time she's close to stopping, she keeps getting this image of me in a black mask carving an 'A' into the wall. Well that and singing, I'm assuming the one part comes from the human reference, but the singing? Does this Zorro sing?" he looked back at Ginny perplexed. "I hope she remembers I can't sing much to my mother's annoyance, I left that to you two..."

"As far as I know Zorro doesn't sing but I do remember hearing some of my female classmates talking about this actor who played Zorro once that was also in a movie where he had to sing. They said he was pretty good. Maybe River saw it," Ginny shrugged as she sipped her water.

"Yup, I just adored Antonio in that movie," River offered from the floor, "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up."

"I think that was a request for help," Ailill glanced at Ginny and winked. "What do you think; does that mean I can tickle her while helping?"

"Don't you dare!" River shrieked.

"You can try but you may not like the consequences," Ginny said.

"True, she bites," he nodded.

"I do not!"

"I'm fairly certain your baby brother would argue about that one..."

"He bit me first!" River protested.

"You were in your hundreds."

"So were you when you got into that fight with your little brother," River argued.

"She never lets me forget anything does she?" he looked back at Ginny.

"Nope," Ginny agreed.

"Are we going to help me off the floor anytime soon? Or should I just start making friends with the dust bunnies? Although why are there dust bunnies under Áthair's (Father's) bed..."

"There are dust bunnies under Áthair's (Father's) bed?" asked Ginny in surprise as she leant over the side of the bed so she could look underneath it.

"Yup, a purple one, and a very yellow one," River pointed at the small bunnies staring at them from the wall at the head of the bed. "Cute aren't they?"

"Hmmm…the purple one kinda reminds me of Cúchulainn…" Ginny mused.

"Really?" River tilted her head to look at them. "Interesting... you know it's kinda good we know they can't transform themselves into animals, I'd be throwing a shoe under the bed if that was the case..."

"I meant the pygmy puff Fred and George gave me," Ginny said lifting her head to look at River. "Hang on…" she said as a look of recognition flashed through her eyes and she dropped her head once more so she was again looking under the bed. "Cúchulainn come here," she said, only to have the purple dust bunny start to roll towards her, emitting a soft purring noise as she picked him up. "What in Dia's (God's) name were you doing under Áthair's (Father's) bed?" she asked it as she sat up properly on the bed once more.

"If that's Cúchulainn... where's Naoise? And who's the yellow one?" River blinked at the pygmy puff before looking back at the other 'dust bunny'. "I'm so confused, and I'm still on the floor..." she pouted up at Ailill who bent to pick her up and deposit her back on the bed.

"I have no idea. Maybe I should check under Máthair's (Mother's) bed," Ginny shrugged as she stroked the small pygmy puff.

"We'll have to later," River nodded. "Water please," she looked up at Ailill who produced the goblet before turning to Ginny.

"More water Madame?"

"Yes please," Ginny replied as she put the pygmy puff down on her father's pillow.

"Another piece of bread?" he asked with a smile as he poured the glass.

"Oh…" Ginny said surprised that she had actually finished the piece without realizing it. "Yes…yes please," she said, hoping her nervousness didn't come through in her voice.

"For you, the best piece in the castle," he smiled as he handed it over.

"And I think our dear waiter has earned the right to sit down," River smiled.

"Thank you," Ginny said as she took the offered slice. "Yes please sit down."

"Thank you my ladies," he nodded to each of them, "So, what do you say Dee Dee, should we get Méabh to share funny stories from all those different times she experienced in different parts of the world?"

"You can't _honestly_ want to hear about what it was like living in the Colonies when they were revolting against England, or Babylon, though I admit the gardens were lovely... Or Greece or Rome or Egypt during the First Kingdom..."

"But they'd be such interesting stories," he argued.

"I've always been fascinated by Egypt. Maybe because Bill works as a curse breaker there and their history always fascinated me," Ginny admitted.

"Well then," River nodded. "Remind me later, we can raid my chamber here at the Castle, I've kept things from all my lives there as momentos and such, have a number of outfits from each culture," she smiled. "So, Egypt, I was there during the reign of Seti I and his son Ramesses II, I actually was a handmaiden of Queen Nefertari, of course that was until I got involved in the Exodus of the Israelites and sorta got myself killed for it but..." she shrugged. "Egypt was amazing in those days, my favourite place was to sit by the lotus blossoms, they were a favourite of the Queen's..."

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**An Márta tríocha a hone 800,199,858 – (Friday April 10th, 1998 – Mortal Realm)  
>Tír Na Nóg – The Grounds outside the Castle<br>Immortal Realm  
>10:29 a.m. – (2:32 a.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

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Three days had passed since Ginny and River were for all intents and purposes, reunited. During that time, they had remained within Llyweln's chambers, listening to stories River told, getting to know Ailill again who stayed and for the most part waited on them hand and foot, much like he used to so many years before. Other than Ailill, the only people allowed in the chambers with the two were Llyweln, Elin, and Airmid, much to Draco and Blaise's annoyance.

That morning, River had slept a bit later than normal, waking to find Ginny gone and thrown a pillow in Ailill's face to wake him up. She had been all set to go out and look for her sister, when just as they were leaving the chamber, Draco and Blaise showed up. Instead she sent Ailill to see how Ginny was while she delt with her overly panicked and annoyed brother and his lover.

Ailill had shaken his head as he made his way silently through the corridors among the shadows, listening to River's mental commentary regarding her conversation with the two men. When he finally made it outside, he spotted Ginny sitting with Lonán and Cosantóir.

"Good morning Dee Dee," he greeted as he sunk down a few feet from where she, the Cáit Sídhe, and the Unicorn were gathered under the tree whose branches covered him too now.

"Morning," Ginny replied quietly from where she was leaning against Cosantóir's side, closing the book she had been reading.

"You picked a nice day," he glanced out across the Castle grounds. "Just enough wind about to keep most inside, perfect day for chasing flowers in the fields," he looked over at her and smiled.

"Or just reading quietly," countered Ginny.

/-/_You should tell him_/-/ Cosantóir told her.

/-/_Yes you should_/-/ agreed Lonán.

/-/_I'm not going to add to his worries. He has enough on his plate with River and besides they'll need him to perform the spell in my place_/-/ Ginny replied.

"So..." Ailill mused. "How does a walk by the river sound?"

"Wonderful," admitted Ginny, trying to ignore the tiredness in her body and failing to mention the fact that Lonán and Cosantóir had had to help her out of the castle proper in the first place.

"Then a walk it is," he smiled as he rose, before she had a chance to attempt moving though, he was over there picking her up. "And if you even _attempt_ walking on your own, I'll let Méabh kill you," he gave her a look as Cosantóir rose and he promptly set her on the Unicorn's back.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking Ailill," argued Ginny.

/-/_No you're not_/-/ countered Cosantóir.

"Dee Dee, don't make me smack you," he shot her another look before turning as the black Pegasus she hadn't seen in quite some time made it's way out of the woods towards them. "Hello Ciarán," he greeted before focusing back on her. "Besides I never said anything about a walk by the river that meant _we_ were the ones doing the walking."

"I used to love it when we would go riding together just the two of us. You always made time for me even though I was so much younger than the rest of you," Ginny said as he mounted the Pegasus.

"Two years isn't really all that much time Dee," he countered with a smile. "But I know, I missed Naoise and Cúculainn all these years, but not like I missed you and Méabh."

"Two years is a lot of time Ailill when you're the youngest of a group of five friends and the only one on her own. You had Méabh, Naoise had Cúchulainn and then there was me," Ginny shrugged; her voice quiet as she looked out over the river.

"Did it really feel that way?" he asked softly, "I know that Naoise and Cúchulainn were often off on their own, they were so much older than all of us, but it was always the three of us... Did we really make you feel that way?"

"Sometimes," Ginny admitted. "Especially after you and Méabh got together. I know you always tried to include me but there were times I just felt like I was intruding. It's part of why I came outside this morning. You and Méabh just bonded. You need time alone together, without me hanging around and getting in the way."

"Dee, don't you realize, right now especially, the last thing she needs is to be separated from you?" he countered quietly. "You're her baby sister, the only sister she's got. And it would seem to me, the last thing you need to be doing too is running around when you should be getting your health back, and perhaps figuring out how to heal that heart that's breaking more and more each day..."

"I'm dying Ailill," Ginny said quietly.

"I know," he agreed just as quietly.

"And that's why Méabh needs you with her Ailill," argued Ginny. "I'm dying and I don't have a lot of time left. I won't be here to fight in the war we all know is coming and when I die…Naoise will follow me a few days later."

"Dee, you don't have to die. You can live, make sure _he_ lives..." he countered.

"I sealed my fate the night I first allowed Lord Voldemort into my bed. No man will want me after they learn of what I allowed that monster to do to me," Ginny said quietly.

"You seem to be putting a lot of faith in how you think Naoise and Cúchulainn would act, instead of letting them make their own decision. It seems to me, you're dying anyway, would their rejection that you are so sure would come be as hard to deal with when you have a short time, as it would when you have a long time left upon these lands?"

"And would you want your final memory of the ones you love to be of the hate and disgust they feel towards you?"

"Speaking from one who has lived that way, it's not exactly the memory you want to keep for a lifetime. But if I had been given a chance to talk to everyone once more, to try and see if they could forgive me, I'd have taken it in a heartbeat every day that passed since. Even so, I think you're putting too much faith in the ideals of Man Dee, we're not like them, never have been."

"And you are forgetting Naoise's temper Ailill. It is because of him we all died in the first place. Besides I don't even know if he even wants me back and if he did, I don't know how to reestablish the bond I had broken in my attempt to save Cúchulainn's life," Ginny said.

"I'd imagine Lady Airmid would know how to re-establish the bond," he offered after a brief moment. "And no, I'm not forgetting his temper, but I am considering the fact that his anger will most likely be towards those who put you in the situation where you had to make such a choice, than at you yourself."

"I'm afraid Ailill."

"Life isn't worth living if it was always easy," Ailill shrugged slightly. "You don't have to face them alone; Méabh and I would be there with you."

"And if I'm right? And they want nothing to do with me once they learn I was Lord Voldemort's lover? What then?"

"Then after your sister beats the life out of them, we'll go wherever you want for your final days, the rest of the universe be damned," he offered honestly.

"You'll let me go? You won't fight me?"

"You mean we won't fight trying to keep you here?" he frowned.

"Yes. If they refuse me, will you let me die in peace?" asked Ginny quietly, her voice laced with tears.

"There's no way we could keep you from dying, so why would we make your final days ones of pain and fighting? I know both of us would much rather spend what time we have left the way it should have been, together."

"You swear you won't leave me alone?"

"Dee, if anyone tried to keep either of us, or even tried to just keep me away, we both know I wouldn't have to get involved, Méabh would see them begging to be allowed into Labraid's lands."

"Then fine, I will see them, just so I can die in peace," Ginny said. "But I'd like to rest first if that's alright."

"Of course it is," he smiled before sliding off of Ciarán's back, and then moving to Cosantóir's side, "May I?" he asked, holding his hand up.

"Will you help me back into the castle?" Ginny asked as she took his hand and allowed him to help her from the unicorn's back.

"I'll do one better," he smiled, wrapping an arm loosely around her waist before looking at Lonán, "Meet us inside," he winked before phasing both of them straight to Llyweln's chambers where River was waiting on the bed.

"Hello again," she smiled as he promptly caught the back of Ginny's knees and set her down on the bed.

"Hi," Ginny said quietly, lying back on the bed.

"How was your morning?" River asked as she lay back next to her.

"You two give me a moment, I'll hunt down something to eat, I heard Lady Igrainne was planning to make her chicken soup," Ailill made his way back towards the door.

"Ailill, I'm fine. I'd really rather just sleep for a while," Ginny called out towards his retreating back.

"You're not the only person who has to eat you know," he called back before disappearing.

"In other words, he's insisting I eat and the option is up to you," River smiled. "Talk after you've had some time to sleep?"

"I'm sure Ailill can fill you in when he gets back," Ginny said as she rolled over onto her side, her back turned to River, so she couldn't see the tears running silently down her cheeks.

"Okay," River agreed softly as she rolled over and slipped her arm around Ginny's waist, every so softly giving Ginny a hug, "Love you deirfiúir (sister)."

"Love you," replied Ginny quietly. /-/Forgive me/-/ Ginny thought sadly to herself as she let sleep claim her exhausted body.

When Ailill returned a few minutes later, he found River sitting up next to Ginny's back, brushing her fingers through Ginny's hair. "She's asleep," she spoke before he could ask.

With a sigh he moved the tray aside and crossed over to gently pick his love up from the bed, taking her into the sitting area and sitting both of them on the couch, simply holding her as River cried. She already knew everything that happened by the river, had heard it as surely as he had.

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**An Márta tríocha a hone 800,199,858 – (Friday April 10th, 1998 – Mortal Realm)  
>Tír Na Nóg – Third Floor Library<br>Immortal Realm  
>5:30 p.m. – (2:33 a.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

**gdgbgdgb**

The rest of the morning and afternoon had passed rather uneventfully, and once Ginny had woken, there had been a brief conversation where River reaffirmed what Ailill had already told her before the two dozed off curled together on the bed for another short nap. When River woke again though, she and Ginny spent a bit of time getting all done up like they used to do when they were 'kids' pretending to be little Goddesses, before she left to search for the two other members of their circle, even as broken as it seemed today, with Ailill promising to watch over Ginny.

She found them not long after her search began, and let herself silently into the library they had holed up in. It was Blaise who noticed her first. "Good evening," she greeted as he tapped Draco on the shoulder to point her out.

"Unless you're here with news regarding Deirdre, you can leave," Draco told River, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Not to sound like I don't love you, seeing as we all know I do, but would I exactly be coming here if it _wasn't_ something involving our sister?"

"I'm tired River, can we not play these…whatever they are," Draco sighed.

"You'll have to excuse Naoise, Méabh. He hasn't been himself lately," Blaise said, throwing a cross between a glare and a concerned look at his lover.

"Probably because he's dying," River answered bluntly.

"_What?_" cried Blaise in shock as he leapt to his feet and stalked over to where River was standing. "What do you mean he's _dying_?" he demanded. "How?"

"How long?" asked Draco quietly.

"If things don't change soon, I don't think it will be long at all," River admitted softly, focused solely on Draco for the moment.

"She won't let me talk to her River, never mind see her," Draco sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "I can't stop this if I can't talk to her.

"Would someone tell me what is going on here?" demanded Blaise angrily.

"It's very complicated Nee," she sighed before focusing on Blaise. "When Dee left during the Christmas Holidays in the Mortal Realm, it was after she had my Máthair (Mother) provide a potion that would block the bond between her and Naoise. Why, none of us asked, it didn't take a genius to realize something horrible was driving her back to that life, and a good part of it was the fear that she'd come between you. We did what was necessary and the bond was blocked. But by doing so, she sentenced herself to death, and in turn Naoise. None of us realized the consequences at the time or Máthair (Mother) never would have even admitted to there being a means to block the bond in the first place."

"That was the day she ran from me," Blaise said. "I still have no idea what the hell happened that day. It was like it was the first time I kissed her back at Hogwarts. One minute we're kissing each other and the next she's running away as if Voldemort himself was chasing her.

"It's my fault. I let my father get the better of me. I heard her pleas to get the curse to stop. She asked me to do what I had to in order to get the curse to stop and I did…" Draco trailed off with a shudder. The next thing I know my father's telling me that Ginny is not the girl I think she is. That's she's going to make a fool of me by running off with someone else, someone close to me…I instantly thought of you. It must have triggered something in Dee…a vision or something and she figured…"

"Not your fault deartháir (brother)," River countered softly, "it's Lucius' fault if anyone is to be blamed here, or Voldemort's. But that's not something we necessarily need to be worrying about right now, what we need to be concerned with is the conversation you two are about to have with Dee."

"She wants to see us?" asked Blaise.

"It took some convincing, but yes," River nodded, "_However_, before I let you near her I need to make a few things clear. First, Dee is not well; she's dying, just as much as you Nee, if not more. She'll go first... We've managed to convince her to talk to you, and if things go as she thinks they will, as I'm sure they _won't_, then she, Ailill, and I will be leaving most likely before the night is over so she can spend the days she has left however she wants. But if things go as _**I**_ think they will... well things will be much happier..." she smiled slightly before shaking her head. "You need to reassure her that you care, that you won't hate her for what happened while we were being held captive, for the things she did to keep me alive, and yes I know you don't know what those things were yet... If you don't think you can, if you think you can't accept her no matter what has happened, then you're not the men I thought you were... But more importantly, I won't let you near her. I won't have her actually have to hear the things she fears if she doesn't have to..." She focused on Draco then, "As much as I love you my deartháir (brother), the truth is she's my baby sister, I can't bear to loose either of you, but if I have to protect one of you over the other, it will always be her. You were my protector, I was her's, how it always was, even in this..." she trailed off with a sigh.

"Can you tell us what she did?" asked Draco quietly.

"She stopped them from beating me," River answered just as quietly, "Bought it from Voldemort himself, but the price is her's to tell you, though I imagine it wouldn't take much to figure out what the price could have been."

Draco and Blaise shared a look between them as Draco rose from his chair. "Take me to her."

River nodded before turning and leading them towards Llyweln's chambers, she paused outside as she made sure they were ready from Ailill, before opening the door and moving inside, the two following her in.

As soon as the door opened and River had stepped out of the way, Draco, without a word, walked as quickly as he could over to his father's bed where Ginny was sitting propped up by pillows, sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Nee?" asked Ginny quietly in confusion.

"Forgive me. This is all my fault. I don't care what you may have done or why, I just want you back with us," Draco told her, refusing to let her go.

River glanced at Blaise before moving over to where Ailill stood near the door to the sitting room, and he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, the two deciding to wait and see what happened before interfering.

"Naoise…" Ginny began uncertainly, not sure how to tell him.

"What is it Dee?" asked Blaise quietly as he made his way over to the bed, sitting down next to Draco and resting one hand on Draco's back and the other on Ginny's leg. "Méabh, told us that you managed to stop the Death Eaters beating her by buying it from Voldemort."

Ginny nodded, tears falling down her cheeks as she turned her face away from Blaise.

"What was the price he asked of you?" asked Blaise quietly.

"I don't care," Draco said as he pulled away slightly from Ginny, turning her face back to his. "Do you hear me Dee? I _don't_ care what price he made you pay."

"You might…" Ginny said quietly.

"Never…"

"Naoise," Blaise said, squeezing his shoulder. "Let her tell us. She needs to tell us so we can react as she expects us to."

River exchanged a confused look with Ailill, "Uh, I'm channelling my mortal idea of a classic blonde being dumb but... can't you react the way she _doesn't_ expect you to?"

Blaise shot River a glare before turning back to Ginny and Draco. "Dee please just tell us," he said. "What price did he make you pay?"

"Me," Ginny said dropping her gaze to the bed.

"When you say you were the price you mean…"

"What do you _think_ she means," snapped Draco in annoyance, his fatigue and stress catching up with him, making his temper shorter than normal.

"He wanted an heir…"

"Oh Dee," Draco sighed as he pulled her into his arms once more. "I am so sorry…"

"It's okay. I understand," Ginny said as she tried to pull away.

"Talk quicker," River muttered under her breath.

"Dee wait," Draco said as he took a hold of Ginny's face. "That's not what I meant."

"It's okay Naoise…"

"No. No, it's not because I don't care what you did. I don't care that you slept with Lord Voldemort because you did it to save your sister. I'm sorry because I'm the one that drove you away from us. I let my father manipulate me which somehow drove you away from us," Draco told her.

"What did you see Dee? That day you ran from me," wondered Blaise. "You had to have seen something Dee," he said when Ginny looked like she was going to argue the point. "We were kissing, things were getting heated and then the next thing I know you're apologizing to me and running out of the room like the devil himself was after you."

"Dee…" pressed Draco. "What did my father's actions make you see?"

"I was…I was in my room at Méabh's house but there was blood everywhere. I heard a noise from the other side of the bed. It was Cúchulainn," Ginny said her eyes flicking to Blaise before returning to Draco. "He had cuts all over his body and…and a dagger in his heart. Then I heard you behind me…"

"Me?" asked Draco.

"You said he deserved it," Ginny said, tears falling once more. "You then grabbed me, telling me he was going to take me away from you and that you couldn't let that happen because I belonged to you and then you kissed me. I tried to fight you off me; only it was Blaise I pushed away. I knew then that I couldn't come between you so I ran and I begged Máthair (Mother) and Áthair (Father) to break the bond."

"Oh Dee," Draco said before pulling Ginny's face to his and kissing her. Breaking the kiss a few minutes later, he rested his forehead against Ginny's. "You silly, noble Gryffindor," he admonished lightly. "You could never come between us. You're a _part_ of us."

"He's right Dee," Blaise said, reaching up and laying his hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Before you came into the picture, our lives didn't feel complete. The only time they did was when we were in our dreams and you were with us. We felt whole for the first time the night of your birthday when we were all together."

"Let me keep the promise I made to you the night of the Ball," Draco said quietly. "Let me protect you.

"Please don't ask me to live without you Dee," Blaise said. "I can't stand the thought of losing you…of losing both of you. If you die…"

"I die," Draco said.

"And I know that I won't be long for this world if I lose both of you," Blaise said as he brushed some of Ginny's hair behind her ear.

"I never wanted to leave either of you but I thought…"

"You thought wrong," Draco told her pulling her into his arms once more. "Dee please…please don't leave us," he pleaded quietly.

"Help me," Ginny begged through her tears. "I'm so far gone I don't know how to get back."

"I hate to be the one to mention this," River spoke up quietly, "But I don't think you're strong enough to bring her back on your own Nee..."

"It may only be you who can save them both Cúchulainn," Ailill continued for her.

"Meaning what exactly?" asked Blaise, turning to look at River and Ailill.

"Ancient Magick, the bonding ceremony," River answered as she glanced up at Ailill before focusing back on them, "You to them, they to you, the circle completed."

"She's right," Draco said turning to look at Blaise, who turned back to him.

"Are you sure?"

"It's the only way. Méabh's right. I'm not strong enough to save her. If I try it will surely kill us both this time," Draco said.

"Naoise…"

"Cúchulainn, if you're going to do this, you need to…to do it…do it soon…"

"Dee?" Draco called worriedly when Ginny suddenly went limp in his arms. "Dee! Dee wake up! Dee stay with us. Bloody hell. Cúchulainn if you're going to do this, you _have_ to do it _now_," Draco snarled.

"It's never been done with three Naoise, I haven't the slightest idea how to bond the three of us together," argued Blaise.

"You ask for help," River teased as she hurried over to the bed with Ailill, "You'll have to say the words," she continued as he moved to the other side of the bed and she moved between Blaise and Draco's side, grabbing Blaise's hand and quickly slicing his palm with the dagger she'd summoned, repeating the action with his other hand before he had a chance to say anything.

"You take one of each of their hands in yours, combine your blood with theirs, the bond already exists between them," Ailill explained as River quickly cut Draco's palm before the dagger disappeared from her hand and appeared in Ailill's, and he carefully cut Ginny's palm.

"All in your hands now Cúchulainn," she whispered.

"Do it," urged Draco. "She's dying Cúchulainn…"

Looking nervously between the two most important people in his life, Blaise took a deep breath before speaking. "Danu, I call upon you to bless this union. By your name we bind our magic, our blood and our souls for all eternity. As our blood becomes one, so shall we be," he said, intoning the words of the ancient rite. As the last words crossed his lips he felt the ancient magicks flowing through him, pulling his soul towards the two others on the bed with him. As he felt the souls start to join, the world before him began to swim as his life energy went out towards Ginny and Draco to help them heal and bring them both back from the brink of death.

"I'm so not being the one to explain this to your Áthair (Father)," Ailill chuckled as River used her mortal magic to wrap a cloth around their joined hands before together they used their other gifts to carefully raise the three from the bed and shift them, laying them back down so Ginny lay in the middle on her back, each of the two on either of her side facing her, the hands that held hers between them by their hips as their joined hands rested over her stomach.

"You know he'll be happy," she teased. "It's only our bonding that has the world in an uproar."

"True, true," he agreed, "I'll get some food while you summon your parents and Lady Elin."

"Thank you," she smiled at him before moving to sit at the foot of the bed and watch over the three while contacting their father and her mother, knowing one of them would contact her sister's mother.

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**An tAibreán a trí 800,199,858 – (Friday April 10th, 1998 – Mortal Realm)  
>Tír Na Nóg – King Llyweln's Chambers<br>Immortal Realm  
>9:21 p.m. – (2:37 a.m. – Mortal Realm)<strong>

**gdgbgdgb**

It took three days for the three to wake up, during which River had never left their side, and Ailill stayed by her's, with Llyweln, Elin and Airmid coming and going. By the time the first stirrings of the group began, Ailill and River had already spent time discussing options for everything that would have to be dealt with in the coming days, weeks, months, and the Gods and Goddesses willing, certainly not years.

It was Ailill who noticed the first movements, as River was currently across the room making a sandwich from the tray of meats and other sandwich supplies that had been delivered for a light dinner. She had immediately set her plate down and crossed to the bed, waiting until all three had opened their eyes before grinning, "Good morning!"

"Hi," Ginny smiled before yawning, "Am I suppose to still be tired?"

"It can happen, or so Máthair (Mother) said," she shrugged.

"How long has it been?" Blaise asked curiously.

"Three days."

"What have you been doing for three days?"

"Plotting," River smiled at Draco, "But go ahead and get some actual sleep instead of magically induced unconsciousness and we'll fill you in later."

"Mmm, kay," Ginny nodded as she closed her eyes, the two following suit, asleep almost immediately.

"Back to planning options, while you eat?" Ailill asked after a moment as River made her way back to the food, smile still in place.

"Mm hmm," she hummed, "Then cuddling."

"As my Banphrionsa (Princess) commands," he chuckled.


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey Everyone,**

**Well, we're getting close to the end.**

**Nutmeg44 - I know you're reading this so enjoy!**

**Dracoginnylover24 - Glad you're back and enjoying!**

**Hope everyone enjoys!**

**Cindy a.k.a. Jamie!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

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**Saturday April 11th, 1998  
>The Great Hall<br>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
>10:00 a.m.<strong>

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Over four months had passed since Ginny, Draco, and Blaise had woken up from the Ancient Bonding, at least in the Immortal Realm. Since that day there in many ways hadn't been a moment's rest for the five of them. Plans had been made and discarded and others made as they tried to come up with a plan that would truly work, to stop Voldemort and truly seal the Unseelie beneath the Crystal Lake. It was mostly only when everyone in the 'circle' would gather in the Throne Room with Llyweln and the Inner Circle to discuss options that anyone really saw the five of them, the majority of the time they were out on their own, healing old wounds as much as possible, while also planning.

Ginny, Draco, and Blaise had finally been able to completely work through everything, and truth be told they were stronger now than they ever had been in the last life, much to River's eternal happiness. The two men weren't exactly at the point where they had forgiven Ailill, but they were at least able to joke and weren't attempting to kill him, much to Ginny and River's relief. Both knew that given more time, they could get back to the relationship they had before everything went so horribly wrong in their last life, it was an image both women welcomed.

It had been River once more, who had gone to try and contact the Gods and Goddesses, once more leaving in the wee hours of the morning so the others couldn't follow, though she had no doubt her life would be quite safe this time. It had actually been Morrigan herself who had come down to speak with her, as they discussed once more the magic and spells used to trap the Unseelie. When she returned, after much yelling on the parts of the four she had left behind, they set to work explaining the spells and such to Ailill, somehow it seemed so much easier a prospect to face this time, they knew the magic worked, and knew that now that it was the five of them, none of them would be in danger… The only issue with this new plan was that they'd have to break the seal first, releasing the Unseelie before being able to bind them once more to their prison beneath the water.

It had been two months after the two were rescued from Voldemort that Ailill and Alywne, who had stayed there in Tír Na Nóg, were brought before Llyweln and the Inner Circle. While Ailill wasn't completely forgiven per se for everything that had happened, he was once more recognized as a Seelie, and Alywne was claimed as a Seelie for the first time, already long since reunited with her brother and twin. Alywne was still closer to Ailill than anyone else, but the bonds were being reestablished with her family. It was after his reclaiming that Airmid came to visit for the first time since shortly after the three had woken, explaining to them that the connections that bound Ginny to her husbands, and River to Ailill, and the blood between Ginny, Draco and River in the past, as well as that between River and Draco in this life, could let the five be able to communicate within their minds. Similar to how River had been able to reach Ginny that first day in Voldemort's stronghold, it was a manner of Astral Projection between those not linked by the Ancient Bonding, but it would be easier due to the other connections than it was to those who attempted it without a connection of some sort already being there. It wasn't something the group did often, but they had practiced and managed to truly master the art, knowing that there would be times when it would truly come in handy.

During the Beltane Fires, Llyweln had officially recognized River as his daughter, the time finally being right, and at the Feast celebrating the holiday, a special hand fasting ceremony had been held, once more joining Ginny with her loves in the eyes of others, and River and Ailill were joined, the plan was instead of having the actual wedding ceremony in a year as was tradition, they would wait until Lughnasadh if the war was over, or Yule if it was not. River had long since talked with George, and they had made the change from lovers to friends rather easily, George in truth her closest confident after the other four, surprisingly George and Ailill even got along after the first few weeks… The same couldn't be said for the relationship between Luna, Neville and Ginny, at least not during the previous months. Ginny had learned of the feelings Luna had for Harry, a secret kept from most everyone save those who had been born in the Mortal Realm, and as was expected in some ways, was extremely uncomfortable around Luna. So for the time being, Draco and Blaise played interference whenever there was a chance the two could approach her, which was pretty much only at the weekly 'meetings' to discuss ideas and once they had a plan that worked, further figure out the details and such.

They had finally reached the point where everything now depended on seeing what the world of Man, or at least the Order of the Phoenix, would say and do in regards to 'the plan' a few days earlier. They simply waited for morning to pass in the Mortal Realm, making their way to Hogwarts to arrive at ten exactly, thirty-four hours after the rescue mission for the Mortal Realm. The five led the group that had come out of the room, Tonks, Andromeda, the twins, Luna, and Neville following silently as they made their way through the castle to the Great Hall where an Order meeting was already in progress, as they knew from Andromeda's husband. Severus Snape had arrived the previous morning to inform Albus of everything, and immediately Ron had been taken into custody as it were and they had waited until that morning to gather everyone together to discuss options and such.

Once they reached the Great Hall, River merely waved her hand and the locking charms were undone, before they opened the doors and made their way inside, all conversation stopping as everyone turned to look at them.

/-/_Can I just say I'm getting really tired of being the one that everyone stops and stares at_/-/ sighed Ginny.

/-/_It will only get worse stór mo chroí (darling of my heart)_/-/ Draco replied from his spot on her left.

/-/_He's right mo ghrá (my love)_/-/ agreed Blaise from her right. /-/_Wait until they realize just who you really are. That the __Banphrionsa (Princess) that stands before them was once Ginny Weasley._/-/

/-/_Stop giving her more to worry about_/-/ River glanced back at them as Albus rose, focusing her attention back upon him.

"Andromeda..." he glanced at her.

"Forgive the intrusion Albus, but there are some who need to speak with the Order," she explained. "May I present Princess Méabh, Princess Deirdre, and Prince Naoise of the Seelie court, children of King Llyweln, and Lords Cúchulainn and Ailill."

"Welcome to Hogwarts your Highnesses," Albus nodded.

"Um, forgive me for interuppting, but isn't that Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zabini?" Poppy asked curiously.

"Those are the names our mortal families chose for us," Blaise responded.

"Uh, not to ask a really dumb question, but who exactly is who? And what is the Seelie court?"

River focused on Hermione, it had already been decided she would handle the majority of the conversations and explanations as, while not the eldest member of the Royal Family, she was the eldest in the group in this life, and had in essence lived the longest. Besides Ginny really didn't want the job and Draco would rather be able to focus mostly on Ginny if she needed the support, "You've heard of fairies, what is not spoken about much in the Wizarding World is the Fey, Mortal Muggles consider them to be like Fairies but different, they look like men, are not exceptionally tiny like Pixies for example. Fey were created by the Ancient One himself after he created the Gods and Goddesses, blessed with gifts, there are a number of type of Fey, elves for example are Fey, similiar to those described in the works of the Mortal Muggle author Tokien. The Seelie Court is ruled by King Llyweln, he was one of the original twelve Seelie created by the Ancient One, King since the beginning of our kind. After Mortal Men were created, part of the Fey broke away from the main group, wishing to destroy the world of Men, they became known as the Unseelie, while my father's court became known as the Seelie. As to which of us is who, I am Méabh, my sister Deirdre, the one you know as Draco is my brother Naoise, Cúchulainn is the one known as Blaise, and Ailill is obviously the last among us."

"Oh," Hermione nodded. "Um, how come the Unseelie haven't managed to kill all of us..."

"May I?" Albus asked before River could tell the tale, she merely inclined her head and he turned to Hermione, "There was a great war long ago, the Seelie and Men joined forces to stop the Unseelie. A spell cast by Princess Méabh trapped the majority of the Unseelie beneath the Crystal Lake, within the Immortal Realm. Man though had betrayed the Seelie as well, a bargain had been made when they first joined forces that Man would choose a section of the world to live in, they picked everything above ground in essence intending to banish the Fey below ground. Instead the Fey asked the Gods and Goddesses to create a world for them, and the Immortal Realm was hidden within the Mortal Realm, and there the Fey have lived ever since."

"But how can Malfoy and Zabini be Immortal?" asked Harry. "They've grown up here with the rest of us."

"This is not the first life my brother, sister, Cúculainn and I have lived, only Ailill has lived since our first life," River replied.

"Is there a reason your sister refuses to speak?" asked Severus, wanting to see if Ginny would reveal her mortal identity to those gathered.

"Deirdre will speak when she is ready or if she is asked a direct question that she agrees to answer," replied Draco, glaring at Severus, knowing what the older man was trying to do.

"Why in heaven's name are you all with the five of them?" Arthur asked.

"Because we are members of the Seelie Court," Andromeda answered.

"You're Fey," Mad-Eye asked skeptically.

"Over the millenia since the Unseelie were trapped, Fey have married Mortals. Not every member of a family which bears Fey blood is recognized as a Fey, some are and are claimed as Seelie. Andromeda, her daughter, Fredrick and George, Neville and Luna are all the members of their family who have inherited the Heritage and been claimed by my father."

"My sons can't possibly be Fey," Molly snapped.

"Why not? You've known it for some time," River focused on the woman, "Just as you knew your daughter was Fey and tried to block her heritage, letting your anger that the Heritage your Father and Uncle claimed was not passed to you influence your treatment of your children. You nearly killed your daughter, though I suppose that does not matter considering you ordered your son to harm her, no wonder he turned to Voldemort," she focused solely on Molly, it had long been decided that it would be alright for such things to be mentioned, but only if the occasion arose would it be appropriate, all the same River turned part of her mind to her sister, /-/_Dearfiúir (Sister)..._ /-/ she called concerned.

"Where is the one they call my brother?" Ginny said suddenly, her voice catching the attention of Harry, who recognized it instantly.

"Ginny?" Harry asked.

"Where is Ron Weasley?" Ginny asked, ignoring Harry for the moment, she would deal with that complication later.

"Ginny is it really you?" Harry asked as he made his way over to where Ginny was standing in between Draco and Blaise. Ignoring the glares of the two men to either side of her, Harry gently placed his hand on her cheek and looked deep into her amber eyes.

As her eyes were drawn to Harry's, Ginny couldn't help herself responding quietly," Yes Harry, it's me."

"Ginny thank God you're safe," Harry said as he pulled her into his arms holding her tight. "I've been worried sick about you."

"I'm fine Harry…"

"Thank God for that," Harry said pulling back just enough so he could kiss her.

Hearing the growling coming from the two men who now stood just behind her, Ginny slowly broke the kiss. "I'm sorry Harry but this can't continue," she said taking a small step backwards.

"What are you talking about Gin, I love you…"

"No Harry, you don't and I hope you can forgive me for my part of what my brother has put you through."

"Ginny…" Harry began stepping towards Ginny, his hand rising to caress her face once more.

"Harry don't," Ginny said stepping back quickly and out of his reach. "Please don't touch me again, for your sake. If you touch me again I don't know what my husbands will do to you."

"Did you just say husbands, as in plural?" Hermione spoke up surprised.

"I did and they're extremely protective of me after everything that's happened to me recently, despite what I was forced to do to survive. I wouldn't be here standing before you if it wasn't for Naoise and Cúchulainn," replied Ginny.

"But I do believe the discussion of my sister's marriage isn't exactly what brought us here today," River spoke quickly, "We wish to discuss a partnership, between our kind and yours, so that Voldemort might be stopped, as well as the Unseelie, for the better of both our worlds."

"Why should we trust your kind?" demanded Molly.

"Well, considering of the two of us, we didn't betray those we had made an agreement with," River smirked. "Besides, it is not you to whom I was speaking, to be quite honest Mrs. Weasley, you are the last person we want on our side." /-/_Only reason we want you is to bring you before Áthair (Father) and the Inner Circle_/-/ she muttered in her mind, knowing the others could hear.

"Well, who's to say that the Order even wants your help? I mean what kind of people _are_ you if you allow brother and sister to marry?" sneered Molly. "It's indecent and immoral."

/-/_Let go of me_/-/ Ginny snarled at Blaise and Draco, who had each grabbed the arm closest to them when Ginny went to lunge towards Molly.

"Ginny what are you doing?" asked Harry in shock when he saw Ginny struggling to get herself free so she could attack her mother.

"My sister, as you can imagine, is quite upset with the woman who gave birth to her in this life. She is questioning our ways, her relationship with her soulmates... Personally I would love nothing more than to slap her once in this life simply for all the other things she did to make my sister's life a living hell," River explained conversationally before focusing on Molly. "And Mrs. Weasley, you are judging things you know nothing about. Besides which, you yourself should know, my brother and sister in reality have no blood shared between them in this life, well unless you count the fact that they share the same ancestor in Phineas Nigellus Black."

"There is _no _way _my _daughter would marry _scum_ like the Malfoy and Zabini boys. She's destined to marry Harry there, my son made sure of _that_fact," Molly countered.

"Did he now?" River raised her eyebrow. "How exactly did he do that?"

"He gave him a love potion," Ginny said quietly before Molly could answer, her voice carrying across the room as if she had yelled it. "He's been giving it to Harry since the start of the year. It's why he asked me to Hogsmeade that first weekend."

"What?" asked Harry in shock.

"I'm sorry Harry…" Ginny trailed off.

"You knew," Hermione asked softly, no anger in her voice though, just... confusion.

"Not at first," Ginny admitted.

"When?" demaded Harry.

"When I came back at Christmas. I knew then that you were under a love potion. I'd seen it in a vision a few days before…"

"And you didn't say anything?" demanded Harry angrily.

"I'm sorry Harry…"

"Harry," Hermione made her way to his side, "Stop and hear her out," she continued quietly before looking at Ginny. "Why didn't you say anything Gin?" she asked gently, no anger in her eyes surprisingly, sympathy yes, confusion yes, but anger no...

"Before you asked me out for the first time Harry, Ron ordered me to answer yes when you asked. Do you remember what happened in Hogsmeade that day?"

"You tried to stop us getting into it with Malfoy and Zabini," Harry said. "Ron said he wanted a word with you and then when he came back he said that you weren't feeling well and that you'd gone back to the castle."

"Our talk consisted of him using the Cruciatus Curse on me…"

"Oh no," Hermione gasped.

"My son would never!" Molly yelled as Harry just stood there in shock.

"Harry, Ron would beat me anytime I did something he didn't approve of," Ginny said quietly. "He beat me so badly on Halloween that if Draco hadn't found me when he did…Harry, he nearly killed me…"

"He would never!" Molly screeched.

"Just like he'd never become a Death Eater, or beat his girlfriend?" River countered quietly.

"My son is _not_ a Death Eater, and he _never_ beat Hermione or his sister."

"Actually..." Hermione started quietly. "That's not exactly true..." she whispered.

"Mione I am so sorry," Ginny whispered, knowing that Ron must have taken his anger and frustration out on Hermione when Ginny disappeared. "I'm telling you the truth Harry. Draco can confirm everything I've told you since he felt the effects of every one of my beatings."

"It's true Potter," Draco said. "If you don't want to believe me, then believe Luna and Neville. They, along with Blaise, were responsible for healing Ginny after every one of her brother's attacks, except for the last one. The only thing that pulled her from Death's clutches was an ancient bonding ritual."

"They're telling the truth Harry," Luna agreed softly.

"We actually have an antidote..." Neville offered quietly, "If you would want it later..."

"But that still doesn't explain why you didn't say anything when you came back at Christmas," Harry pointed out.

"I had a vision that scared me terribly and I was afraid for those that I loved. In the hopes of protecting them I came back to Hogwarts but I knew that the only way I would be able to do that safely, without bringing my brother's wrath down on me was to continue on as he wanted me to…with you…"

"So you were going to just let me live the rest of my, _our_, lives thinking I was in love with you when I wasn't?" he asked slowly.

"Harry I'm sorry," Ginny said, finally giving into the tears she'd been fighting ever since this conversation had started. "I never meant to lie to you. If it's any consolation, I would have been dead before the year was out anyway. When I left my Áthair's (Father's) castle to return to Hogwarts at Christmas, I had already started down the path to my death."

"I don't think that's really all that much consolation," Harry shook his head, "Um, can we just focus on the possible partnership thing at the moment?" he looked back at Albus.

"Harry I'm sorry…" Ginny tried apologizing again. When he turned and made his way back up to his spot at the table, Ginny found herself being pulled into Draco's protective embrace, Blaise rubbing her back soothingly as she cried.

"Okay, so shall we discuss our options?" River asked after a moment.

"Albus, you can't tell me you're just going to sit there and listen to them bad mouth my son?" demanded Molly.

"Mrs. Weasley, they aren't exactly the only ones accusing your son of actions you deem impossible," Severus spoke up evenly.

"Don't you start Severus. You've never cared for any of my children," Molly countered.

"I would beg to differ on that Mrs. Weasley considering he was the one who helped Cúchulainn into the room my sister was being held hostage in by your Voldemort."

"That girl is no child of mine. I never wanted her in the first place," snapped Molly in irritation.

/-/_Dearfiúir (Sister)... do you want a chance to tell her how you feel?_/-/ River asked gently.

"Ginny has _never_ done anything but _try_ to please you," Blaise sneered. "And _how_ do you treat her? You allow your son to _beat_ her, nearly to death. She is one of the smartest witches of your time and you force her to hide behind her brother's ineptitude simply because heaven forbid someone should outshine your precious baby boy. What must if have been like for you knowing that your idiot son was constantly being bested by his best friends. It's no wonder he became a Death Eater."

"My son is not a Death Eater!" Molly screamed, her wand suddenly drawn and pointed on Blaise.

"Then have him prove it," snarled Draco, still holding Ginny tightly. "Bring him here before us and have him prove his loyalty."

"That might not be the wisest course of action..." Albus began.

"We actually were intending to ask for young Mr. Weasley as part of the agreement for our partnership," River began, "He is to be brought before the King for his crimes against the Princess, but of course if you and yours feel the need to judge him first..." she trailed off purposely.

"I disagree Professor Dumbledore," countered Draco. "His mother sits there flatly denying her son did any of that which we accuse him of on behalf of my wife, I demand that he be brought before us and prove which of us speaks truly. It was his actions that led to my wife being held prisoner by your Lord Voldemort."

Albus glanced at Molly, then Severus, River, and finally Draco, Ginny, and Blaise, before nodding his head. "Severus please go and get Mr. Weasley."

"Shh…" Draco soothed, sharing a concerned look with Blaise when he felt Ginny's arms tighten around him at the prospect of coming face to face with her brother.

/-/_We're here Dee Dee_/-/ Ailill assured softly, that they would all be there with her even as River was solely focused on the door Severus had gone through.

A few minutes later, Severus returned with Ron in tow, his hands tied behind his back, his wand in Severus' hands. When Ron began to shout upon seeing the group, they quickly figured out there was a silencing charm on him as well.

Ginny couldn't stop the whimper that escaped or herself from flinching; burying her face into Draco's shoulder when she caught sight of how irate Ron was; knowing that most of his anger was directed at her.

/-/_We're here deirfiúir ionúin (beloved sister)_/-/ River spoke soothingly even as Albus turned to Ron.

"Mr. Weasley, as you know by now, you are being accused of being a Death Eater. On top of those charges, you have been accused by the Fey of beating your sister, using the Cruciatus Curse on your sister, kidnapping your sister and handing her to Lord Voldemort, using a Love Potion on Harry, and Hermione as well has stated that you have beaten her. Now would be the time that you are allowed to speak on your own behalf, though I will warn you, any attempt to do anything else will be swiftly dealt with as you can probably see, Severus is more than ready to silence you if need be."

Ron nodded in agreement as Severus lifted the silencing spell. "They're lying Professor, Ginny especially, Sir. I'm a Gryffindor. What possible reason would I have for joining the Death Eaters?"

"He's _lying_," cried Ginny as she tried to break free from Draco so she could attack Ron. "He's the reason I had to sell myself to that monster…"

"Deirdre," River spoke softly as she turned her eyes to her, /-/_Hurting him now will not see things done as they should be, we have a few things left to do before revenge can be rightfully yours_/-/ she continued quietly, /-/_Hold your anger close to your heart for a bit more, then you can do to him everything he did to you and more, and none of them will step forward to stop you._/-/ Turning her attention back to Ron, River slowly strolled forward, "Tsk tsk Ronald," she chidded, "You know, for all your claims to the contrary, there is a very easy way to prove whether you are the good and true Gryffindor you say you are, or the bastard and brat we know you to be..." she mused as she circled him.

"_Don't_ touch me you Malfoy scum," snarled Ron angrily. "If it wasn't for_ you_ and your meddling pain in the arse_ nephew _over there then _my_ sister would be where _she_ belongs. With _Harry_."

"Whatever makes you think my brother is my nephew? Or that I'm a Malfoy? Aren't they typically quite blonde and have blue eyes?" River asked curiously.

"You may have brown hair now and brown eyes but I saw you with that annoyingly blonde hair you Malfoys are famous for, and the same blue eyes as your bloody nephew. If there was a way to block your Fey tricks, they'd see it too." Ron snarled.

River tilted her head, "Whenever do you think you saw that? In a dream perhaps? Because it certainly never happened..."

"It did too!" he yelled, "You were there with blonde hair and blue eyes while your brother dragged you around by a leash like the bitch you are."

"So you were with my brother in this life were you?" she smirked as she turned and calmly strolled back towards the others. "How interesting..."

"Wait so you are a Malfoy?" Hermione spoke up.

"In this life," River replied calmly. "In this life I was born to Abraxas Malfoy and his second wife Titania Zabini."

"Might I suggest Albus, that we further prove the fact that Mr. Weasley is a Death Eater, though considering he just admitted to being near Lucius Malfoy is a most interesting type of proof, by simply checking his skin for the Dark Mark?" Severus spoke up as River turned back to look at them as she took her place beside Ginny, Draco, and Blaise.

"My son is _not_ a Death Eater," insisted Molly angrily, ignoring Severus' contemptuous snort.

"Then a simple inspection of his arm should prove his innocence Molly," Albus countered quietly, "Remus, Mad-Eye, if you would..."

"Don't touch me!" Ron yelled as he backed away from them, trying to get his arms freed from their binding behind his back.

"Mr. Weasley!" Minerva exclaimed, "Do control yourself; you're doing nothing to help your claim of innocence."

"Stay away from me you muggle loving scum," Ron hissed as he continued to move away from the two, not realizing he was moving closer to the five Fey.

"Would you be so kind?" River glanced at Ailill with a smile and he merely stepped forward and wrapped his right arm around Ron's chest, easily lifting him off the ground a degree as he used his left hand to silently cause the sleeve of Ron's shirt to burst into flames even while making the bindings disappear from around his wrists so he was able to yank his arm in front of him, waving it even as the flames extinguished themselves and Ailill let him fall to the ground with a resounding thump, grinning as he moved back to the sides of the others.

/-/_That was fun... I've had my enjoyment at his expense, the rest is all yours__._/-/

/-/_Same for me_/-/ River agreed with a smile as she glanced at Ginny, Draco and Blaise.

"Oh my God, it's the Mark..." someone exclaimed as a shocked hush fell over the Order and everyone just stared at Ron in shock.

"With the blessing of my father, King Llyweln and his court, it is within my right to punish the one who harmed me," Ginny said as she stepped forward, away from the others, her hand reaching out and taking something from Blaise that he seemed to pull out of thin air.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Hermione looked away from Ron to look at them. "Ginny?" she continued as she stared between the bow and quiver and Ginny's face.

"Exactly what you think I'm going to do," Ginny said as she placed one of the arrows from the quiver that now rested on her back, into the bow.

"But... but... but..." Hermione stuttered.

"Don't you dare harm _my_ son!" Molly yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

River waved her hand, sending the spell flying back at Molly and sending her wand flying from her, "Do _not_ throw a spell at my sister again. Next time I'll let her _husbands _deal with it," she growled. "And my sister is _entirely_ within her rights for what she is about to do. Ronald's life was forfeit the day he raised his hand to a Banphrionsa (Princess) of the Fey. _You _should be glad that it is to _us_ that our Father let his punishment fall, _instead_ of to the Inner Circle as his fellow Death Eaters were taken. Deirdre will be _much_ more merciful than our Father, her Mother, and the members of the Inner Circle would for harming the daughter of our King and the Lady of Light herself."

"Albus you can't possibly let them do this!" Molly turned towards Dumbledore as most everyone in the place just stood there in shock at what was happening.

"I'm afraid Lady Méabh is right Molly. There is nothing Ron can do now to deny their claims, he has betrayed us all. The Fey do not allow any to harm one of their own, I can only imagine what King Llyweln would do to one who harmed one of his only daughters. It is a more merciful punishment for him at Ginny's hands than at the Seelie King's," he countered quietly. "I will not pretend to understand why you have joined Voldemort, or why you would do the things that have been revealed this day Ronald. Perhaps in any lives after this you might find peace or a chance to redeem yourself, I do not know. Or perhaps the Gods will be merciful on you... though," he raised his eyes to where River and Blaise stood, "somehow I doubt they are pleased with you, considering their favor towards Méabh and Cúchulainn in the past." Shaking his head slightly Albus focused on Ginny, "Might I request, that you do not punish him here within the Castle walls?"

"Albus! You can't!" Molly screeched, sounding rather like a seagull being strangled.

"Enough Molly," Albus snapped as he turned his head towards her. "Arthur control your wife, this is out of our hands, Ron crossed the Fey, if we interfere we will bring down the wrath of the Seelie, and the Gods and Goddesses themselves who still protect the Fey."

"Do not worry Professor Dumbledore sir," Ginny said with a smirk as she turned around and lifted the bow, ready to fire. "His punishment will only begin here…"

Hearing Ginny's words Ron scrambled to his feet and started to run from the Great Hall.

River, Ailill, Draco and Blaise had all stepped to the sides when Ginny had stepped forward so that Ginny had a clear shot towards Ron's rapidly retreating back. Seconds before he reached the doors to the Great Hall, a whizzing sound was heard in the Great Hall as Ginny let her arrow fly, landing it exactly where she wanted it to in Ron's shoulder.

"No!" cried Molly as she forced her way over to where Ron had slumped on the floor when Ginny's arrow had impacted his shoulder.

"Take your traitorous son home and watch as the poison that laced my arrow slowly takes him from you. Watch and know that you brought this on yourself," Ginny said coldly.

"You're no child of mine, from this day forward, I have no daughter," Molly hissed at Ginny as Arthur approached and he helped Ron up. "I hope your bastard Slytherin scum husbands turn on you and treat you the way you deserve to be treated," she continued before turning on her heels and promptly stalking from the room after Arthur who had already led Ron through the doors.

/-/_You know, I'm going to enjoy the day we bring her before Áthair (Father) and the Inner Circle_/-/ River mused. /-/_I think I'll even bring popcorn like the muggles do to movies_./-/

"Don't listen to her Dee," Draco said as he approached Ginny, having heard her thoughts and seen her pale at Molly's words, taking her into his arms once more.

"He's right mo chroí (my heart)," Blaise said as he joined them. /-/_We are bonded by the rite of Danu, we will never leave you, nor harm you in any way._/-/

"Take me home?" Ginny asked quietly into Draco's shoulder.

River glanced at them and nodded before focusing on the others, "King Llyweln has sent me to discuss the possibility of a partnership between our two worlds once more; I would request to be allowed to partake of your hospitality so we can discuss such things. My sister, brother, and the rest of our circle are to return to Tír Na Nóg."

"Of course, it would be our honor to welcome you and any others," Albus nodded.

"Thank you Headmaster Dumbledore," she nodded, "If you would be so kind as to excuse us for a moment so we can bid farewell."

"Certainly," he nodded. River inclined her head once more before turning and the group quickly made their way out of the Great Hall.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly once the doors were shut, moving over to Ginny's side.

"I just want to go home," Ginny said quietly. "I knew my mo…Molly never cared for me and I knew my actions would upset her but I never expected her to…

"Dee," River reached forward to brush a lock of hair back gently, "Go home, find peace with Nee and Loo. She doesn't deserve for you to be upset because of her actions, though I know it's hard not to be," she smiled sadly. "You need Ailill and I there too, we'll be there in a heartbeat alright?"

Ginny nodded as Blaise and Draco each wrapped an arm around her and led her from the Entrance Hall.

River sighed before looking up at Ailill, then turning to go back into the Great Hall as the rest of their group immediately split to go to the sides of any family members or friends who remained after much of the Order had left, leaving only the higher members of the Order for now.

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**Mí na Nollag fiche a hocht 800,199,860 ID – (Friday April 17****th****, 1998 – Mortal Realm)  
>The Shores of the Crystal Lake<br>The Immortal Realm  
>Just after Sunrise – (10:01 am – Mortal Realm)<strong>

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A great many things had happened in a very short time, or so it seemed to those involved in this war that was Mortal. After Ginny, Draco and Blaise had left, River had sat and explained their plan, and the partnership between the Order of the Phoenix and the Seelie was made, both sides knowing that when all was said and done in this war, there would be no changes for the Seelie, no possibility of a difference made in their lives, save for the possibility that finally, for once, the Unseelie would be gone and the Seelie would be free of them, free of their mission in life to protect Mortal Man from the Unseelie and able to live their lives in peace if it was what they wanted.

During the Mortal Days, River and Ailill remained in the Mortal Realm, arranging things with Dumbledore as he gathered together the members of the Order, save for Molly and Arthur Weasley who refused to have anything to do with it, though the other Weasley men were all there, while during their nights they returned to the Immortal Realm to continue arrangements there and spend time with Ginny, Draco, and Blaise, the three never returning to the Mortal Realm after they left that morning. With time Ginny was able to get through the issues raised by Molly's actions, and for once River was actually a bit glad for the time difference between the two worlds, the five days that passed for the Mortals being nearly two years for Ginny.

Information was leaked to Voldemort through another spy the Order had, who was working supposedly as a spy for Voldemort. Supposedly Dumbledore had found a book written by the Seelie that explained how one could release the Unseelie and reverse the magic that trapped them beneath the Crystal Lake. Also providing a means to get there, and in turn kept an eye on Voldemort as he prepared his Death Eaters to go into the Immortal Realm and release the Unseelie.

Word had come that he planned to make his attempt, and so they had gathered, hidden among the trees by Fey magic, the Seelie warriors and the Order members, all waiting and watching for Voldemort to arrive. As before, Llyweln led the Seelie, with the other members of the Inner Circle there prepared to fight, while River, Ginny, Draco, Blaise and Ailill stayed back. Fred, George, Alywne, Regulus, and Andromeda there to guard them with Nódia, while the rest of their 'circle' spread out to fight.

The six who were there, watching over the five exchanged more than one look as time passed and Ginny, River, Draco, Blaise, and Ailill just continued to stand together with their eyes closed. Nódia had visibly shuddered the first time she saw them, seeing the same golden fan staff in River's hand that she had held in it before, the sight of the same fan in Ginny's hand left her muttering prayers to the Ancient One himself in elvish, which to be honest did nothing for the five who hadn't witnessed the first Sealing. The two women were dressed in simple white gowns that brushed the ground, fitted bodices though their upper arms were bare, sheer white material fell in a single piece over their lower arms to the ground, held by silver bracelets around their arms. The slight wind that moved through the trees made the light material of the skirts dance over the grass, even as their 'sleeves' fluttered around them and the three men. Both women had their hair down, also being picked up by the breeze, and the jewelry they always wore was gone, save for the bands on their hands that showed the bondings between them and their Anamcharas (soulmates).

The three men were dressed similarly, dark pants as they used to wear in the time before men, with simple loose tops, Draco surprisingly wore red, at least to those who still couldn't help but picture him in his Slytherin colors, while Blaise wore a blue shade and Ailill wore green. Like the women, any gems they wore to enhance their magick were gone, only their wedding bands, and like the two, their hair was down, being lifted on the wind. Nearby their Elvellons paced restlessly, the unicorns and pegasus were actually comfortably resting in the shade of the trees, waiting until they would be needed, while the two Cáit Sídhe and the two Cu Sith paced in a circle around the group, further aggravating Nódia but... she remained quiet.

The five opened their eyes once, when Voldemort and his group appeared on the other side of the lake and made their way there, before their eyes fell shut once more and everyone gathered stopped and waited, even the breeze falling away as he spoke the words and performed the magic needed to break the seal. None of those from the Mortal Realm even took a moment of regret when Wormtail fell, his life taken for the spell. Everyone did step back though when the water began to churn, then erupt skyward as the hundreds of Unseelie came climbing out of the water.

They watched in silence though, as Kieran approached Voldemort who started to explain that he had released them so they might join forces... until Kieran promptly chopped off the head of the closest man near him and all hell broke loose as the Unseelie charged towards the Death Eaters and Voldemort started throwing spells while putting as many people as he could between him and Kieran.

When three-quarters of the Death Eaters and other minions Voldemort had brought had fallen, Llyweln raised his sword and with a fierce cry ran from the trees as hundreds of Seelie warriors charged after him, the members of the Order mixed among them, and the Unseelie stopped to see them before the battle truly began, Kieran left Voldemort as he turned to face Llyweln, though the Wizard only turned away to find himself face to face with Dumbledore and Harry, and Remus, and Hermione who refused to leave Harry's side, Luna and Neville there as well the last of the group from the Department of Mysteries.

Nódia, Alywne, Andromeda, Fred and George watched, ready to fight as well, while also keeping an eye on the five they protected.

River opened her eyes slowly before looking out at the war that was spreading around the lake, "It's time," she spoke before focusing back on her Anamcharas (soulmates) as they opened their eyes. She caught Ginny's eyes and they held each other's gaze before she held out her free hand and took Ginny's, and they turned, making their way towards the lake as Draco, Blaise, and Ailill fell into place behind them, Draco in the middle in essence behind both of them. They stopped when they reached the lake's edge, both closing their eyes and seeking the blessings of the Gods and Goddesses as Ailill bent to pick up a handful of dirt, while Blaise moved to cup a bit of water from the lake. Ailill tossed the dirt into the air, as Blaise threw the water towards the same spot, and Draco sent a ball of fire to meet them, the fire disappeared as a length of silk floated down from where the three elements had met, a shimmering fabric that held hints of red, green, and blue while mostly white.

Opening their eyes, River and Ginny let go of each other's hands before reaching up to grab an end of the scarf, letting it dangle between them before stepping out onto the water's surface, the three men following behind and they all began to move across the water, feet bare as River's had been in the first life. They all sensed when others began to notice them, especially the Unseelie who started racing towards the water's edge only to be distracted by the closest Seelie or Order member, but they continued on their path undeterred, until they reached the middle of the lake and the men stopped, River and Ginny alone stepping further forward. They stopped after a few feet more when they were at the exact center, glancing at each other they shared a smile before stepping apart from each other as they raised their hands so the scarf was held taunt between them, and began to dance in sync with each other, and the music River had heard before, the music Ginny had heard when she had seen River's memories of the first time the spell had been cast, danced on the wind that blew around them.

Behind them, Draco, Blaise, and Ailill spread apart slightly before raising their arms, palms out, meeting those of the man next to them while Blaise and Ailill on the end had one palm extended out to the world, their magic merging and reaching out to the two women. The dance continued as they felt the three watching over them, soon they were using the fans as well, calling the souls of those who had gone before, always connected by the scarf they held. When the water began to move, they spun towards each other before crossing each other's paths and continuing, knowing the column of water would hold both of them, even as individual columns formed under each of the three men, raising them as well.

Glancing down they saw the lights of the souls coming as the water rose, before focusing on each other as they simultaneously raised the staffs to be held in both their hands, the scarf lowering but not touching the water as they moved into the next part of this dance with the Gods, Goddesses, even the Ancient One himself, reaching down towards the water and bringing the staff up along their body, pulling their own magic to join that of those there to see this done right, once and for all. The dance continued on ever more, twirls and spins, dips and kicks, and they repeated the action that took their magic and gave it to the spell as they rose ever higher until the clouds fell away and once more River found herself within the Halls of the Gods and Goddesses, though this time they were all together.

The Dagda nodded and smiled as Morrigan herself rose and stepped down the steps towards them, raising one hand and all five felt the invisible caress of magic, though stronger than any from any mortal or Fey. Felt the hint of each of the elements they represented touch them all, Draco's fire, Blaise's water, Ailill's earth, Ginny's air and River's link to the spirits. And then the halls disappeared as the water began to fall, taking them with it.

As they fell through the clouds, River and Ginny both let the staffs go, reaching out towards the three behind them as they remained connected by the scarf. Somehow the three were able to join hands before Blaise grasped Ginny's free hand and Ailill found River's. As the clouds disappeared, they saw the Unseelie being drawn beneath the clear waves as everyone else stopped and watched as they went, kicking and screaming, or else focused instead on the five of them as they fell. Turning their heads, River and Ginny smiled at each other before closing their eyes as the last of their strength went now that their magic was gone, neither feeling the water as they hit it and sunk under the waves, even as Draco, Blaise, and Ailill now able to move better, pulled the two towards them.

"Where are they?" Nódia and the other four rushed to the water's edge once the lake had settled, the sealing complete. The others of their 'circle' joining them as they searched the water for any sign of the five.

"Lose someone?" Voldemort laughed, drawing everyone's attention back to him, even those fighting him had stopped to watch, though it hadn't been that big a thing since Voldemort himself was staring at the water in shock as it rose and the Unseelie were drawn beneath the waves and the five subsequently fell from the sky.

"Could have sworn we lost a lot of people," River's voice drew everyone's attention to behind Voldemort, and they turned to find the five of them coming out of the trees.

"By the Gods and Goddesses," Nódia breathed as she stared at them.

"I think we surprised them," Ailill mused as he looked at the others, "Really I don't see anything different..."

"A rún (my dear), do shut up," River glanced at him and smirked.

"As you wish my Banphrionsa (Princess)," he inclined his head and she shook her's, perfectly dry red curls dancing.

"How the hell did you get over there... and why aren't you wet or even in the same clothing!" Voldemort screeched, making the five smile as they moved forward in sync atop their mounts, Ailill on the far left, River next to him with Draco in the middle, then Ginny and Blaise on the far right.

"There is a certain advantage to being bonded to magical creatures," Blaise explained as they moved, everyone taking in the differences in their clothing, gone were the white dresses and black pants with their specific colored top, instead the five wore the same style of clothing as worn by the Elders of the Seelie, the same garments they had worn to battles in their first life, all of their hair was pulled back once more, save for River's, which fell down her back in a mass of the same deep red curls she'd been born with in her first life. A quiver of arrows rested against Ginny and Blaise's backs, bows in their hands as they sat astride the white unicorn and copper pegasus respectively. Draco, River and Ailill held swords in one hand, as River and Ailill rode their white and black pegasus, and Draco was the odd one so to speak, with his own Elvellon, a large fully grown Fire Dragon. In front of them were the two Cáit Sídhe and two Cu Sith, very obviously stalking as they moved, eyes focused on any Death Eaters near, and Voldemort.

"Harry, if you don't mind, we already discussed it, we know that obviously the honor of actually killing the crazy man falls to you, but we'd like a chance to get a bit of revenge ourselves and all. And I'm sure you can understand why Deirdre and I especially would like to do that, considering he held us hostage for so long…" River spoke conversationally as the unicorn, three pegasus, and dragon strolled to a halt, Ginny sliding easily from Cosantóir's back while River took a few moments extra before she was on the ground, maneuvering around Eímh's wings.

"Sure," Harry shrugged as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Thanks," River grinned even as Voldemort's eyes widened, and a dagger appeared in her hand that she promptly threw, before anyone could blink it had traveled through the air to lodge in the apex of his legs as he doubled over. "Well, I feel better, you're turn," she turned to Ginny as the three men found their footing on the ground behind the two of them.

"Thank you," Ginny said as she lifted her loaded bow, taking aim at Voldemort, only to swing around suddenly at the last minute, sending the bolt sailing past Harry's ear, missing it by mere millimeters and lodging into the neck of Nagini, who had been poised to strike a blow at Harry behind his back.

Harry looked behind him before looking back at her, "Thanks... I think I'm going to move though..." he kinda pointed to the left and quickly moved a good ten feet from the snake's body.

"Good shot," Blaise mused.

"You little bitch," Voldemort growled.

"Is that any way to speak to a lady? Let alone a Princess?" Ailill shook his head. "Honestly, do they even _teach_ mortals manners? No offence to the rest of you of course..."

"Thanks," Ginny said with a smile at Blaise before turning back to Voldemort. "As for you…" she trailed off, loading another bolt into her bow only to let it fly moments later and have it lodge itself deeply into the bicep of Voldemort's wand arm. "Manners are too muggle a thing for the likes of this monster."

"That explains it," Ailill nodded.

"Lover, shut up," River lightly elbowed him in his stomach. "My sister is having fun, let her enjoy while we possibly frighten the poor mortals a bit."

"Nope, not frightening me any!" Hermione spoke up quickly.

"I stand corrected... and going to stop talking now dierfiúir (sister)," she added with a quick smile to Ginny.

"Talk away," Ginny said as she loaded a third arrow into her bow and let it fly, not really paying attention to where it landed until she heard Voldemort's cry of outrage. She had managed to lodge it in the centre of his wand hand so that half of the arrow was sticking out from either side of his palm. "Ouch. That looks a wee bit painful," she observed.

"Oh it certainly does. I vote for his foot next, get one just right he won't be able to move it and make things easier for more painful arrows and for the ultimate death that's coming to him..." River mused.

"Oh good plan…_HEY!_" Ginny cried as she ducked a bolt of green that went flying past her head. "The _bastard_ just tried to _kill_ me!" she snarled as she quickly loaded and fired a forth and fifth bolt simultaneously, one landing in each of Voldemort's feet, slicing through them and lodging in the ground, effectively pinning him to the ground under his feet.

You know I'm all for torture but... what do you say we just let Harry do his thing and finish him off?" Tonks suggested.

"Works for me," Ginny shrugged.

Come on, what do you say we go for a walk?" River looked over at Ginny, "Let Harry do his thing in peace, besides I have the sudden need for a hug from Áthair (Father)... Nothing like seeing the Halls of the Gods and falling through the air for the second time in your life to make you panic and think you're going to die, and when you don't, seriously want to hug your loved ones you know?"

"Yes I do and I'm sure Áthair (Father) feels the same way," Ginny said as she put her bow over her shoulder. "Be safe," she said to Blaise and Draco before kissing each one on the cheek.

"We will," Draco assured her. "Go see Áthair (Father). We'll find you when it's over."

"So," River linked her arm with Ginny's and they started to move away, "What do you say we disappear with our husbands for the next six months?"

"Six months our time or six months mortal time?" questioned Ginny.

"Either," River smirked. "We could do mortal time and go explore the world, Hawaii is lovely, and the historic sites in Japan are amazing. We can do a safari in Africa, go on a muggle cruise, they're quite fun from what Andie says... Anything we want to really, and just hop back here for a few hours Immortal time every now and again whenever we want to..."

"Sounds lovely, although some nice quiet time with my hubbies wouldn't go amiss," Ginny said.

"You two look happy," Llyweln's voice drew their attention. "Oh it is good to see you both," he continued gruffly before wrapping an arm around each of them in a three-way hug. "Never, never, never do something so dangerous again. My heart simply can't take it."

"Áthair (Father), you're immortal, you can't die of a heart attack," River pointed out into his shoulder.

"Who said I'd actually be dead?"

"They do need to breathe Llyweln," Elin spoke from behind him.

"Don't worry Áthair (Father), the Unseelie are trapped permanently beneath the Crystal Lake. We'll never _have_ to do something like that again," Ginny said.

"Good," he smiled as he stepped back, reaching up to brush his fingers on her cheek before reaching up with his other hand to wrap one of River's curls around it, "Now things are as they should be, both of you returned to us," he smiled.

"Yes, yes, now move," Airmid appeared on his right as Elin appeared on his left, "We want our daughters and we aren't afraid to hit you like the rest of the Fey."

"You know, I think I know where we get our unique way of handling our husbands from," River mused quietly to Ginny.

"Too true," Ginny agreed with a smile as she hugged Elin.

"What are you going to do now?" Elin asked as the two finally stepped back from holding their daughters.

"We had a few ideas," River glanced at Ginny and smiled.

"I think those three better be afraid," Airmid chuckled.

"What three?" Ailill asked as he wrapped his arms around River's waist from behind her, Draco and Blaise with him.

"Hello again," River tipped her head back to look at him.

"What should we be afraid of?" asked Blaise as he and Draco each wrapped an arm around Ginny.

"We're plotting," River replied. "Of how to steal a good deal of time with our husbands with no worries whatsoever."

"And we should be worried about that why exactly?" Ailill mused.

"Well, if my one possible idea is picked, it could mean lots and lots of shopping..."

"Shopping?" Draco and Blaise chorused. "I'm confused, are you?" Blaise looked at Draco then Ailill.

"Shopping, for trinkets and clothing... after all if we do the one that Andie did we'd have to get new swimsuits," River glanced at Ginny, "Bikinis could be fun..."

"Unless we decide to completely torture the guys with the look but no touch option," Ginny offered.

"Okay I think we need to make them explain this," Draco nodded, "Because there is going to be no running around in bikinis by our wife and us not being able to touch her, and I'm sure Ailill agrees although the idea of my sister in a bikini," he shuddered slightly. "I'd rather not see..."

"Can't have just one of us," River argued.

"Besides this I have to see, which by the way, what's a bikini?" Ailill frowned.

"It's type of swim suit," Ginny offered.

"A very revealing one that we can thank the muggle mortals for," Blaise nodded.

"Anyway, I'm assuming you three being here means everything is over and done with yes?"

"Yes, the It is dead and the mortals are making their way back to Hogwarts," Ailill nodded.

"Good, Then we can safely go and celebrate being alive and Dee and I can possibly start plotting in oh five days when we probably manage to escape our bedrooms finally..." she trailed off, one eyebrow raised.

"Did your daughter just suggest to her husband and her brother and your great-nephew that they can go and celebrate with my daughters in the bedroom?" Llyweln leaned to his side to ask Airmid.

"How Naoise ended up with a romantic bone in his body I'll never know..." Airmid rolled her eyes.

"Hey! I can be romantic..."

"No, your voice makes women melt and you're exceptionally drop dead goregous as River put it in one of her lives, don't ask me which anymore, there's a difference," Elin argued.

"Can we go before we start hearing details about our parents' love life in the past?" River whispered to the others.

"Works for me," Ginny shuddered.

"Come dear ladies, away we go to freedom from hearing things you should never hear about your parents. And to celebrating the fact we are very much still alive," Ailill smiled as he promptly swept River up into his arms, "I'll let you two figure out how you want to carry your love if you decide to," he winked at Draco and Blaise.

"I think I'll walk for now," laughed Ginny as Draco and Blaise shrugged.

"Well then, see you in a few days," Ailill smirked before promptly phasing and the two disappeared.

"I like his thinking," Blaise said as he grabbed a hold of both Ginny and Draco and phased them from sight before either could say anything.


	13. Epilogue

**Hi Everyone. **

**Hope you all had a great week!**

**DracoluverAlanna - So glad you've enjoyed the story. As you can see there is one chapter left. I would love to see any artwork you come up with.**

**Nutmeg44 - Guess by the time you get to this chapter, you've gotten your answer as to whether or not Ron's a Death Eater LOL!**

**Hope everyone enjoys!**

**Cindy a.k.a. Jamie!**

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

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**Mí na Lúnasa a hone déag 999,999,998 ID  
><strong>**199,800,138 years since the Second Sealing  
><strong>**The Immortal Realm  
><strong>**Suaimhneas Lake  
><strong>**Just after Sunset**

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After the defeat of Voldemort, Ginny and River had convinced, well with little arguments from the men really, the guys to go on a trip. What started out as six months visiting here and there throughout the world turned into a year trip, just the five of them though there was plenty of times they split up and toured things separately or spent many a nights entirely on their own, to no one's complaint. They would travel back to England and the Immortal Realm both, now and again, they had their joint wedding as planned, which Elin and Airmid spent months planning. Never had the Seelie seen such a celebration as that when the only two Princesses married, many of those who had been at the final battle with Voldemort came from the Mortal Realm as well. After a year in the Mortal Realm, they returned to the Immortal Realm for good.

Nearly two-hundred-thousand years had passed in the Immortal Realm since the day that Voldemort was killed, and the Unseelie were truly trapped beneath the Crystal Lake. Years of peace and happiness for all the Fey, and the Wizarding World as well had found their peace in the one million years since then, though to be honest none of them really paid attention, nor did any who had once actually lived in the Mortal Realm, that now lived in the Immortal Realm. As long as they remained in the Immortal Realm, those who were Mortal born never aged.

Before he died Ron admitted that he had used the love potion on Harry because Harry had confessed to growing feelings for Luna, once the potion was reversed, Harry and Luna began to develop a relationship, marrying after a few years and alternating their time between the Mortal Realm and the Immortal Realm for a few years before to the minds of the Mortals, the great Harry Potter and his wife Luna simply disappeared from the face of the earth. Only a select few knew the truth. They lived on Erskine Island, and had a few children, half a dozen grandchildren and even more great-grandchildren. Hermione was there as well, having come to the Immortal Realm full time after graduating from Hogwarts, she was fascinated with the Fey and the history, and it gave her a bit of peace, her own abuse at Ron's hands, while nowhere near what Ginny had suffered, had shattered a part of her innocence and her trust. The Seelie Court had welcomed her and in time she was claimed as an honorary child of the Fey long before Harry was. It had taken much longer for Hermione to find her love, over a hundred years, but eventually Fred managed to win her heart, much to the happiness of the others. George had married Alywne ages earlier and was the first to look at his brother and say 'it was about damn time'.

Remus as well had followed from the Mortal Realm, the first to come actually, as soon as the war was over, River hadn't been all that surprised when word came while they were on their travels that he and Nymph had married finally, or that he was living full time in the Immortal Realm. The magic of the Fey could control the wolf within him better than any potions Mortals had. Andromeda had been thrilled, and dragged her husband to the Immortal Realm full time, the basic belief among any who were Fey born in the Mortal Realm was… why stay now? The Seelie still kept an eye on Mortals but for the most part let them fight amongst themselves; they didn't need to be protected from the Unseelie anymore so. Their job was done. If Mortals felt like killing each other, so be it. Andromeda was a grandmother and great-grandmother many times over and continued to spoil not just her descendants, but Luna's, Neville's, and of course Ginny, Draco, and Blaise's, along with River's and Ailill's, claiming the blood ties of the Black family that linked them all as reason enough. Neville had married Ailie in a double ceremony with her twin and George and was a well-known healer on Erskine Island.

Then there were their lives, the five of them. They stayed close together, Ginny, Draco, and Blaise building a home on the shores of the Lake that bore the same name as River's home, not fifty yards from Suaimhneas. As River and Ginny had hoped, before a hundred years had passed in the Immortal Realm, Draco, Blaise, and Ailill had made their peace, and the relationship they had in their first life was complete once more, yet better so because of the bondings between those who were wed, and the bonds it created between everyone in the group. They never had a desire to leave the Immortal Realm again, content to spend the rest of their lives in a place that save for a few moments, had provided them very little heartache, especially compared to the heartache they had lived through in the Mortal Realm.

Nine months to the day after Ginny's one-hundredth birthday in this life, she gave birth to their first child, a boy named Alexander, Draco's son. Within a year their first child who was Blaise's was born, a daughter named Diana. They had two more children, one fathered by each of her husbands, a daughter with Draco named Cassandra, and a son with Blaise named Christopher, born on the same day but one year apart. Still having the advantage if you looked at it that way, of Mortal blood, the four were able to have children after their one-hundredth birthday, a trait not passed to their children, and today Draco, Ginny, and Blaise were the proud grandparents of eight, great-grandparents of sixteen, and had thirty-two great-great-grandchildren, none of their descendants ever having more than two children.

A trait not shared by River and Ailill.

Much to Draco and Blaise's amusement, River had threatened Ailill to within an inch of his life, in front of the other three, after her third pregnancy. Unlike Ginny, Draco, and Blaise who in a sense had to wait for Ginny's one-hundredth birthday in this life, River had already seen her 8th century of life between time spent in the Mortal Realm and the Immortal Realm, and nine months after they were officially wed, she gave birth to their first child, who Ginny promptly proceeded to spoil rotten as her first nephew, Cóilín. Nine months later to the hour almost, the second of twin girls was born, Chandra Líle was the elder, after her mother, and Selene Jasmine the younger, River like Ginny later with her own daughters, continuing the tradition their father had started by giving them middle names that were flowers. It was nine months later that Draco and Blaise sat with popcorn with one of the twin girls in each arm, watching as River threatened all the ways she would remove Ailill's ability to produce children, in about fifty different languages, half of which he didn't even know, if he didn't start using protection of some sort because there was no way this side of heaven or hell she was going to be back under her mother's care as they went for attempt number four… after she had given birth to their third son, and had one more baby to go in the set of triplets. By day's end, Ailill was being lectured on the proper use of protection spells by his mother-in-law while River smirked from the bed as Ginny, Draco, and Blaise sat in chairs around the bed, somehow managing to juggle the eighteen month old, the two nine-months old, and the newborn Colum, Éamonn, and Iúile Daffodil.

By some miracle, Ailill had actually managed to listen and there was never a fourth attempt, though Ailill tried to talk her into more when Ginny started having her, Draco, and Blaise's babies, and theirs were all in their seventies. Her response had been to enjoy spoiling your nieces and nephews and wait twenty-five years until you can bug your children for grandchildren, a comment she later had Ginny hit her over the back of her head for, especially when at the birthday party for what should have been her one-billionth year of life had they never died during their first life, there were their six children, twelve grandchildren, thirty great-grandchildren, and seventy-five great-great-grandchildren running around. Course she in turn sent Draco, Blaise, and Ginny after Ailill when she found out she was pregnant not two months later… Ailill spent a good number of weeks that year using a spare bedroom in the house called 'Haven' in the old tongue.

So Aloisia Rósín, named after her Aunt Dee Dee, was born, the spitting image of her mother, red curls and all, and immediately became if possible her Grandfather's favorite, not that any of the other grandchildren complained since they spoiled her too, nothing like having a sister or cousin the same age as your grandchildren to just make life interesting and all the more necessary for said sister or cousin to be spoiled rotten, and the fact it drove River nuts was just an added bonus. Aloisia had immediately of course bonded with her beloved Aunt Dee Dee, and was by Ginny's side as everyone sat around the lake, there to celebrate what would have been _her_ one-billionth birthday but instead was her two hundred and second year into the last two-hundredth-millennium of her two-hundredth-billenium, as Hermione's granddaughter loved to point out. She had inherited Hermione's smarts and Fred's smartass-ness.

"Well," River mused as she wrapped a lock of Ginny's hair around her finger, the two sitting side by side. They were sitting under a tent watching as their descendants and the descendants of their closest friends and family played games or swam or whatever, save for little Aloisia who was with them, and of course the whole gang who had been at Ginny's first birthday party there beside the lake so very long ago, was there, and their significant others in this life they all lived. "Do you feel as old as I do, knowing that one-billion years ago you were born the first time?"

"How do you think Naoise and Cúchulainn feel? They're older than we are," commented Ginny.

"She's older than we are," Draco argued, "After all, just how old are you when you count those lives you lived deirfiúir (sister)?"

"Extra lives don't count; we aren't sitting here adding our ages from our first life to our second life to figure out our age. And besides, if they did that means I've been missing out on fourteen more birthdays every year... would you like them to start counting?" River asked, "You know I truly could handle sixteen birthdays a year..."

"Besides, how can she be old, she's got a one-year old," Ailill smiled as he set a plate of fresh smores in her lap, a second in Ginny's, "Fredrick and George have claimed the campfire."

"Remind me why I ever left that man," River smiled as she picked up the melting concoction.

"Hey!"

"Because your anamchara (soulmate) came to his senses and returned to your side?" Ginny said with a shrug as she dived into the smore in front of her.

"True, so very true," River agreed around a bite. "And I suppose we can't pick on Nee and Loo about their age."

"Because we're still as good looking as we were when we were sixteen and you love us?" Blaise asked curiously.

"No, Áthair (Father) and our Máthairs (Mothers) have just shy of ten-thousand years on Dee's age had she lived all these years since the beginning."

"Shh, you know your father's got a thing about being reminded how old he is," Tonks hissed towards them.

"Áthair baistí (Grandfather), are you old?" Aloisia asked suddenly, gathering Llyweln's attention.

"Why do you ask that Rosebud?" he looked up at his children, River and Ginny quickly munching on their smores while Draco attempted to look innocent.

"Nymphy said you don't like being reminded of your age."

"She started it!" Tonks pointed at River, "She pointed out that you and Lady Elin and Lady Airmid are about ten-thousand years older than they would be if they hadn't died in their first life... Oh fuck... I'm um... I'm going to go check on the bonfire and make sure Fred and George haven't like turned it into some sort of firework creator... yeah that's it..." she shot up and rushed out of the tent.

"You know, for someone her age, she moves pretty damn fast... And _**yes**_ I know I've got about seven hundred years on her," River looked over at Draco and Blaise. "It's so unfair that in this lovely wonderful forever and a day lasting life we have, that I'm the oldest except for him," she nodded her head towards her husband. "I was the second to youngest damn it, it was you two that always got the age jokes."

"There, there," Ailill patted her shoulder, "At least now it's safe to pick on Dee for being so old."

"I'd go help Nymph with the checking of the firework creator if I were you," River smirked.

"Good idea..." he nodded before hurrying away, Aloisia deciding to chase after him.

"Well, things are never boring are they?" she looked back at Ginny, Draco and Blaise.

"Nope," grinned Ginny as Blaise and Draco chuckled beside her.

"You know, when I think about it, I can still remember exactly how I felt when I went to cast the spell the first time. And how much I wished things had been different in the following fourteen lives until this one... But you know, I don't think I'd change anything. Cause otherwise, we wouldn't be here, all five of us together, celebrating the fact you should be so fucking old it's not even funny," she winked at Ginny. "I'm starting to suspect everything happened for a reason and that maybe all that heartache was worth it in the end, we're back where we started..."

"With a few hundred descendants," Blaise pointed out.

"Hey, I've got a one-year old, you can't make me feel old," River stuck her tongue out at him.

"We can try," teased Draco.

"I'm older than you, you can't pick on me, that's my job as the older sibling," she argued.

"Weren't you just complaining about that fact?" asked Blaise curiously.

"Oh shut up! I'm hormonal or something, I swear I didn't know better I'd think that man had gotten me pregnant again..." River grumbled before catching her mother's quick glance away. "Oh no, oh hell no, damn it I'm not being pregnant again! Dee has to have one too if I have one..."

"Well I know nothing in that regard," Airmid offered.

"Where are you going Elin?" Llyweln asked with a smile.

"Just to go see my daughter's niece," she offered before disappearing out of the tent.

"Well that was all sorts of interesting," River grinned before looking at Ginny. "Have you three been having fun lately?"

"What the bloody hell kind of spell did you use exactly?" demanded Ginny rounding on both of her husbands.

"It was his idea," argued Blaise.

"You were just as eager to see if it would work or not," countered Draco.

"You didn't by chance share this information with my husband did you? Or say get said information from him after a certain event two years ago..."

"We modified one of his spells slightly," admitted Blaise.

"_How_ slightly?" demanded Ginny.

"I would run about now if I were you," Airmid suggested.

"Just enough so that it would make both of us the father this time," admitted Draco before both he and Blaise bolted from the tent, Ginny hot on their heels.

"Huh, well that was ingenious..." River mused, "But if you'll excuse me I see my husband running with her husbands, and need to go help kill him," she waved at the others before chasing after the birthday girl and her husbands, and her own husband as well.

"Well, I think you got your wish Llyweln," Airmid chuckled as Elin appeared with Aloisia in tow.

"What's that?"

"You got them back," Elin offered. "Always told you it would happen."

"And just think, they got all eternity to be together... And I suspect we'll be randomly getting new grandchildren periodically through the ages..." Airmid smiled and Elin chuckled.

"Just think little one, you're going to have lots and lots of siblings and cousins," she whispered in her great-niece's ear. "Cause the Gods and Goddesses have plans to give your parents and aunt Dee and uncles Nee and Loo lots and lots of presents as thank you's for everything they did. And of course some of those just happen to be little bundles of joy to make life interesting..."


End file.
